


Live With Me

by pi_meson



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Implied Cannibalism, Implied Murder, Light BDSM, Loss, M/M, OT3, ace!Marcus - Freeform, dom!Jake
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-27
Updated: 2015-04-04
Packaged: 2018-03-09 01:02:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 59,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3230327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pi_meson/pseuds/pi_meson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens after ch31 of my 30-day cheesy tropes challenge.</p><p>Marcus, Jake and Earl wake up after a night none of them really thought would happen. Not so soon, anyway. Jake's impatience makes him miss warning signs. Marcus is back pedaling fast and Earl is wary of leaping in and getting hurt. Jake has a lot to do if he really wants this relationship to work out. </p><p>Earl has a very special ceremony that disrupts their relationship just as it begins to settle into a comfortable shape. Will Jake and Marcus cope without him?</p><p>And what happens when a very productive outside company arrives to take over Marcus's territory?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In The Morning

**Author's Note:**

> Probably helps if you read this first
> 
> [ this ](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2849672/chapters/6389465) 
> 
> chapters 1, 2, 5, 14, 15, 22, 23, 26, 27, 29 & 31  
> Wow. I got obsessed!
> 
> I'm basing Ace!Marcus on my own experience of being asexual and slightly sex averse, but he's not as sex repulsed as I am. If you have any questions about that please leave a message here or find me on tumblr (longhairshortfuse, yeah I have two ao3 accounts, for unimportant reasons).

Marcus woke up slowly, not quite able to pinpoint the instant where he knew he was awake and there was no going back. He slipped out of bed and headed for the shower, feeling vaguely off, as if there was something wrong and he just couldn't quite pin down what it was. The feeling nagged at him. Marcus made lists in his head to calm himself. He wasn't sure when he started to cry, he noticed somewhere between the list of phone calls he wanted Jake to make for him and the list of things he liked about Earl.  
It passed and Marcus turned off the water jets. He opened the shower door and Jake handed him a towel. "Mind if I get in? I'll go use my own if I'm in your space too much."  
Marcus wept again, quietly.  
"Dunno what's wrong. Feel weird." Marcus wrapped his towel tightly around himself and stepped back.  
"Marcus, maybe you need space. I'll take Earl downstairs for now and bring you coffee, okay?"  
Marcus nodded and mumbled _thanks._  
Jake woke Earl, sent him down to his apartment and replaced the soiled sheets from Marcus's bed with clean cream silk. He opened the windows and laid out a clean robe before exiting, dumping the laundry into the chute in the passage outside Marcus's private domain. 

Earl pointed and laughed. "You walked through your boss's mansion wearing that?"  
Jake looked down at his borrowed robe and shrugged. "Yeah, well you were butt-naked. Looked like you were having a nice dream too. I better censor this mornings cctv feed. Can't have the security guys ogling you. That's Marcus's job." Earl poured three cups of coffee, silent as Jake laughed. "He's a bit emotional this morning. I'm gonna take him coffee then come back here until he gets over it."  
"Sure, I'll be in the shower."  
Earl went through Jake's bedroom to start the shower running and find clean towels. Jake changed into his own clothes and sent Marcus a text.  
 _On my way with coffee xx_

Jake knocked and went in. Marcus was in his office reading financial reports. Jake put the coffee down beside him, kissed the top of his head and left him alone. On his way back downstairs he sent another text.  
 _Too much too soon? xx_  
He didn't expect a quick reply. Marcus would be absorbed in work for a while. He entered his own apartment and went to the bedroom. Jake could hear the shower running. He undressed and went in to the shower room. Jake watched Earl for a moment until Earl noticed him and opened the door. "Coming in?"  
"Is there enough room?"  
"Mm-hmm. It'll be a tight fit but I'm sure you could push your way in."  
"There won't be space to move."  
"You can thrust me up against the wall if you need room to manoeuvre."  
"You going to tell me what your nice dream was about this morning?"  
"Honey, you're going to make my dream come true. Get in here." 

Jake got in. Earl washed his hair for him and started on his body. Earl lathered Jake's sponge with shower gel, tilted the water spray aside and used long, slow strokes from Jake's neck down his back, over his ass and up again. He steered Jake's shoulders to turn him round and hugged him from behind, all warm and slippery. Jake giggled and wriggled back into Earl. Earl kissed the edge of Jake's ear, nipped gently with teeth and whispered _Impatient! Hands on the wall._ Jake put his hands on opposite walls, one on cool white tiles the other gripping the top edge of the glass shower enclosure. Earl used the same long, slow strokes over Jake's chest and stomach, moving himself slightly against Jake's back. Earl adjusted his position, soaping Jake's back again and slipping his hardening cock between Jake's buttocks.  
"Mmm. Lube's in the cabinet with the condoms."  
"I brought them in here already. Not time yet."  
Earl resumed stroking from Jake's chest to his groin. He stopped on an up stroke with the sponge over Jake's erection, trapping it firmly against his stomach. With his free hand, Earl played the water jets over Jake, rinsing the soap away and tickling the areas Earl normally kissed and licked to make Jake shiver and writhe.  
"Jake, what would you like to happen next?"  
"I would like to suck you until your knees go weak then fuck you so slowly you beg me to make you come, but I'm starting to get cramp. So I am going to fuck you hard and fast."  
Jake took the lube from the shower rack and turned round to face Earl. Earl grinned and turned to face the wall.  
"Last to come gets a forfeit." 

Earl won by about fifteen seconds. They cleaned up, laughed and cuddled under the warm shower, dried, dressed and drank coffee. Jake checked his phone and showed Marcus's reply to Earl.  
 _maybe, come up for brunch? Eleven?_  
Earl frowned. "Is he really freaking out?"  
"Yeah. I think he got more than he bargained for last night."  
"So did I!" Earl grinned and Jake laughed.  
"Marcus wanted to see you come. I wanted to pay you back for the very lovely blowjob you gave me. And he was worried you'd feel left out. I wonder what Marcus expects? I mean, if we all sleep together regularly do we have to behave? Will the risk of upsetting Marcus get in the way of our usual wake-up call? I don't want him to feel awkward in his own bed."  
Earl frowned then laughed. "Jake, you owe me a prize, right?"  
"Uh-oh, I know that expression! Okay, what do you want me to do?"  
"Next time you wake up first, you're going to fuck me so slowly and quietly that Marcus sleeps through it. I want to wake up thinking I'm having the best dream of my life."  
Jake stared at Earl, eyebrows raised then smiled. "Mmm, I _really_ like the idea of slowly fucking you awake but I'm not risking you waking up having changed your mind. And we'd need to find out if Marcus would be okay with opening his eyes and the first thing he sees is your happy-face. Freaking Marcus out is not cool." 

Earl frowned. "No, I don't want that. Marcus is such a sweet man under all that bullshit. I can see why you like him so much."  
"He kind of asked me to marry him."  
Earl stared into his coffee cup. "Did you say yes?"  
"No. He did it by firing me first."  
"Hah! That is so Marcus. Bet he thought it would be romantic."  
Jake got up to get more coffee from the kitchen corner behind Earl.  
"Jake, would you have said yes if he asked you properly?"  
Jake didn't answer right away. He sat beside Earl, tilted his chin up with a hand and kissed him. "I don't know, honestly. I love him, I think I told him that, sort of, but I love you too. I don't wa _nngh"_  
Earl wrapped hands around Jake's face and kissed him. "You mean that? You love me?"  
"Ooh I said it, didn't I? Earl, yes. I love you. I love you and Marcus and it scares me because I have twice as much to lose if I fuck up." 

Earl sat back. "Shit, this is moving fast. Couplea days ago you were calling me to set up a chance for Marcus and me to talk and now I'm contemplating... what... moving in with you both? Jake, I've been attracted to you since you walked in to the coffee shop and persuaded me to let you stay after closing. And Marcus... well. Physically, mmm, he makes me tingle and it hurt when he didn't want me like that. I've loved you since you started trusting me enough to call me and show that you need me. But this is... I have no idea what this is. Last night was weird and lovely and I watched Marcus jerk off and it felt... it was... Jake, why isn't there a word for this?"  
Jake wrapped his arms around Earl.  
"Did it feel wrong?"  
"No."  
"Awkward?"  
"At first."  
"Do you regret it?"  
A pause. "Yes."  
"Why?"  
"Because I don't know Marcus well enough to promise any kind of commitment."  
"Huh. I pushed you both too far." Jake sighed. "I'm sorry, Earl. I've been selfish because I want this. I misjudged how far we could go."  
"I want this too, but I think we're not ready. There's you and me. There's you and Marcus. What's missing?"  
"Earl and Marcus. Heh, does this mean I'm not the only one freaking out this morning?"  
"Marcus! You slipped in quietly. I'll make you some fresh coffee." Jake got up and Marcus sat in his place next to Earl.  
"So, can the local billionaire businessman ask the scoutmaster out on a date? Or, y'know, whatever. Get to know each other?" 

"Shit, Marcus, how much did you hear?"  
"Heh, enough. I regret last night too, for the same reasons. Jake!"  
"Sir?" Marcus and Earl exchanged a smirk.  
"You have to make this up to us both."  
"Uh, how do you suggest I do that?"  
"Heh. First you have to organise a date somewhere that we will both like. Is tomorrow good for you, Earl?"  
"I'm working, people to feed."  
"Oh Jake will sort something out. He's very capable. Aren't you?"  
"I think I can do that. May I invite Mhairi and make it a double date? Oh dear. Let me just get a cloth to clear up your spilled coffee sir."  
Marcus coughed and Earl laughed. "Jake, you are one evil fucker. No you may not, this is just me and Marcus. No spies." 

Marcus left, smiling. Earl left, promising that he felt calmer but would spend the night in his live-in staff room at the hotel because his weekend shifts ended very late. Jake made phone calls to arrange shift swaps for Earl for Sunday and sat lost in thought.  
Marcus liked nice restaurants, Earl would criticise the food or the service, or both.  
Earl liked outdoor activities but Marcus barely walked further than to the limo and back.  
Marcus liked getting an adrenaline kick from video games. Earl couldn't get the hang of the handset.  
Earl and Marcus. Jake sighed, it seemed everything one liked the other didn't. Shame he couldn't send them on separate dates. Or lots of dates all at once.  
An idea hit him. He picked up the phone. 

Several phone calls later, Jake could send Marcus and Earl each a text.  
 _date - meet in my apartment 1pm tomorrow, wear something comfortable._


	2. Table for Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Earl and Marcus go on a getting-to-know-you date organised by Jake.  
> Marcus gets to see exactly how his precious coffee table got broken on a night the cctv cameras mysteriously failed to record.

Earl was prompt. At one o'clock, Jake welcomed him into his apartment with a kiss and a hug. Marcus was his standard five minutes late. He let himself in.  
"Got something good planned for us?"  
"Of course, Marcus. You are going to have a busy day. I couldn't think of one thing you would both like equally so you are having lots of dates today doing different things. Someone will meet you at the end of each to get you to the start of the next. Have you had lunch? No? Okay. Into the limo please."  
Jake instructed the driver to take them to Big Rico's where a pizza would be brought out to them. They could eat in the car on the way to their first date. 

Jake met them at a farm on the edge of town. Marcus sniffed the air and scowled. Earl laughed.  
"Jake, are we going horse riding?"  
"Yes you are! You will get a lesson and a set of directions to follow. You will cut across the desert on horseback and someone will meet you at your destination with instructions. Have fun!"  
Marcus shook his head. "Jake, I swear I will kill you for this."  
Earl smiled. "Come on Marcus! This is fun."  
Jake left and drove out of town in a Vansten Industries Land Rover. He went out to the edge of Radon Canyon where four of Earl's older scouts were busy with ropes and harnesses.  
"Got everything you need? They'll be a couple of hours."  
"Yes, sir." "Give this to scoutmaster Harlan when he arrives." Jake handed over a gold envelope. "It's a challenge." 

Marcus took to horse-riding like a fish takes to swimming but he could only fit so much into an hour of lessons. He whistled at Earl, who showed his expertise gained as a scout.  
"Heh. You look like a cowboy."  
Earl grinned. "Two vaqueros riding in the desert."  
"Mmm. You look hot." Marcus unbuttoned his shirt. "How far we gotta go on these smelly animals?"  
"Not far now, at this pace maybe fifteen minutes. You wanna get there faster?"  
"Yeah."  
"Hang on for dear life." Earl took the reins from Marcus and urged his own horse into a gallop. Marcus's horse followed. Earl slowed down after about a minute and glanced behind. Marcus looked terrified. Earl slid out of his saddle and helped Marcus down.  
"You okay, Marcus?"  
Marcus walked around for a minute then grabbed Earl's arms.  
"That. Was. Freaking. Awesome! But seriously, no more, right? I've used muscles I didn't know I even had gripping on to that thing and I may never walk again."  
Earl laughed. "It's not far, why not get up behind me and hold on? Might be easier on you. Can you imagine our Jake doing this?"  
"Heh. He'd want to know where the CD-player was."  
Earl mounted again, scooched as far forward as he could and helped Marcus up. Marcus put both arms around Earl's waist. They set off at a sedate walk. 

"So, this the kinda thing you like to do?"  
"Yeah. I like to be outdoors, doing stuff."  
"You do outdoors stuff with Jake?"  
"No. We never really dated. He bought me breakfast once, does that count?"  
"No. That's totally not a date."  
"Hmm. Jake likes to do relationship stuff in the wrong order. Except with you, Marcus. Guess he got that right." 

Soon, Earl spotted four familiar figures. He swore.  
"Trouble?"  
"Scouts. I don't know what they are up to. It's likely to be well organised mischief."  
"Heh. They learned from the best."  
Earl laughed. "You best get off first. Give me your arm, I'll lower you down."  
Earl dismounted once Marcus was safely on solid ground. Two scouts jogged over to look after the horses. Earl walked over to the other two scouts. One handed him an envelope and saluted. Earl saluted back and opened the envelope.  
 _The next part of your date is at the bottom of the canyon. I challenge you to retrieve it. Trust me, it's worth it. Marcus especially will want this._  
Earl frowned. The two scouts looked at each other and held out two climbing harnesses and a rope. 

Marcus laughed and pointed. "Oh my. That's a sight could make eyes water!"  
Earl smirked. "Just wait until you get your harness on. The cut makes everyone look larger than life. You ever been climbing or abseiling before?"  
Marcus stared at Earl, deadpan. "Whaddaya think, scoutmaster Sherlock?"  
"Ha! I'll check your harness and your knots and show you how to descend. The scouts will stay up here unless we need them. We can climb back up, I'll belay for you then free climb out."  
"I'm gonna nod and pretend I understood that."  
"This is so cool, Marcus. Jake's note says the next date is something for you."  
"Heh. At this rate it better be physiotherapy." 

Earl spoke to the two scouts. He fitted Marcus into his harness, tied his ropes and showed him how to walk himself down the rock face while the scouts lowered him, safely letting out just enough rope at a time. Earl zipped down in seconds and started looking around for whatever Jake had hidden. By the time Marcus joined him at the canyon floor, Earl was clutching another envelope.  
"You wanna open it?"  
Marcus took the envelope and looked inside. He laughed. "Relaxing spa experience for two, mineral bath, massage and choice of facial, manicure or pedicure. Mmm, yeah, I just stopped hating the bastard."  
Earl laughed. "You get to see me squirm now. That sounds like my idea of hell."  
"Ever been to a spa?"  
"Nope."  
"Then you don't know. Jake likes it. How do we get back up there?"  
Earl grinned at Marcus. "We climb." 

Earl yelled up "ROPE!" and the other end of Marcus's rope hit the ground in front of him. Earl checked it was secure at the top and explained.  
"I'm your belay. As you climb up, I shorten the rope so that you can't fall far enough to get hurt." Earl stepped over and checked Marcus's knots. "You look good to go." He took up the slack. "Climb when you're ready."  
Marcus stared at Earl. "You're fucking kidding me, right?"  
"Marcus, just... you okay?"  
Earl stood next to Marcus. "You can do this, Just keep moving upwards slowly. Use your feet to push rather than your arms to pull."  
Marcus sighed. "Whatever. Easy to say."  
Want me to get one of the boys to belay and I'll climb beside you?  
"No! If my life depends on whoever is holding the rope, I would rather it was you." 

Earl watched Marcus's face for a few seconds then put an arm around his shoulders and hugged him. "I'll show you the start. Watch."  
Earl climbed up a few feet, explaining his moves. "Small steps, Marcus, plant your toes, shift your weight and _push up_. Use your hands to steady you, not to pull. Let your legs do the hard work. Try it out?"  
Earl leapt down, landing softly beside Marcus. Marcus stared at him.  
"Earl, how do you _do_ that?"  
"Do what?"  
Marcus shrugged. "Y'know, _everything!"_  
Earl frowned. "Marcus, get the fuck up that rock face. Seriously, move. You'll fall, but I promise I'll catch you."  
Marcus looked at Earl, eyes wide open and lips parted. Earl leaned over and kissed him once. "I want to be up there. Climb."  
Marcus sucked and bit his bottom lip, but he started to ascend. Earl kept a tight grip, almost hauling Marcus up the rock face. 

Marcus fell twice. The first time he panicked and Earl had to ask a scout to rappel down, take over belaying to let him climb up to calm Marcus down. Earl climbed beside Marcus after that so the second time Marcus slipped Earl could push him back onto the rock and point out handholds and footholds. Marcus frowned through his fear.  
"Uh, Earl, who will catch you if you fall?"  
"Ha! I have the best motivation for not falling, Marcus. Let's just top out?"  
Earl hauled himself up over the canyon edge then helped Marcus up. Earl thanked the scouts, who saluted and left, two to a horse. Marcus lay on the ground, hands over his face.  
"You okay?"  
"Earl, that is the most scared I have ever been. I'm shaking. Can you--"  
Earl had his arms around Marcus before he finished the request for a hug. They lay in the rocky sand until Earl heard the approaching Land Rover.  
Jake jumped down. Marcus and Earl stood waiting for him. He smiled, they were holding hands. 

Jake dropped Marcus and Earl off at Night Vale's premier waterfront-style spa resort. It wasn't much, but it had everything it needed apart from actual water beneath the boardwalks. Marcus walked in like he owned the place, which he did although he wasn't aware of that fact. He handed over their vouchers.  
"Ah! Yes. Mr Vansten and Mr Harlan. Please come this way." The receptionist smiled. Marcus sniggered. Earl leaned over and whispered, _I'd come any way he wants._  
Marcus snorted. _shuttup I don't want to be thrown out of here!_  
Their guide stopped beside a door. "Mineral baths, sirs. You have a private room. Someone will come for your massage in twenty minutes. Will that be long enough?"  
"Long enough for what?" Marcus frowned.  
Earl laughed. "Yes, thank you. That's fine."  
They went in to find a room decorated with candles and flowers. There were two massage tables off to one side and a large tub full of steaming green water occupied the middle of the floor. Earl stripped off and got in.  
"What was all that about _twenty minutes?"_ Marcus undressed and gasped as he entered the warm, soothing water.  
"Oh? I have no idea, Marcus. This feels good. I have never shared a bathtub before. Are there rules? Like no farting?"  
Marcus laughed. "Come sit over here?" 

Earl shifted to sit next to Marcus.  
"Good date so far, Marcus?"  
"I like this part."  
"You liked when I got your horse to gallop, and you liked being scared on the rock face."  
"Yeah, I did. I knew it was okay because you were there. You like this?"  
"Mmm, it is kinda nice, weird but nice."  
"Yeah. How'd'ya get to be the scoutmaster? I mean, it's an awesome job. And I never asked before because... whatever. Reasons."  
"Oh? Uh, there was a prophecy about it so I just _was._ That's it. There was a prophecy and I knew it would happen so I worked hard for all the badges and got them and here I am."  
Marcus put a hand on the back of Earl's neck and kissed him. Earl responded gently.  
"Technically this is our third date so if you get turned on that's okay."  
Earl laughed and Marcus frowned. "What? Did I say something funny?"  
"No, no it's fine. C'mere." Earl held his arms open. Marcus slid closer into his embrace.  
"Is this okay? Do you do this with Jake?"  
"No, we don't do this. You think he'd like it? Earl, do you think people actually fuck in these tubs?"  
"Ugh, wanna get out?"  
"Yes please." 

There were two bundles of towels on the changing area bench, each topped with an item Earl didn't know existed. He held his up and raised an eyebrow at Marcus.  
"Heh. Disposable paper briefs. You don't have to wear them, wrap a towel around your middle and the massage therapist will know."  
Earl secured his towel and sat on the bench. "What now?"  
"The therapist will be here soon. Guess we wait."  
"Marcus, can I ask you some real personal questions?"  
"Sure, whatever." Marcus sat beside Earl, feeling as if he was still clinging precariously to the rock face.  
"You don't ever feel like you want sex. But you do get turned on and you masturbate. How does that work?"  
Marcus shrugged. "Biology? Do you masturbate when Jake's not around to look after you? How does that work?" 

Earl prepared to ask another question. To Marcus's relief, the door opened and two white-clad figures came in and Earl puffed out a lungful of air. Marcus stood up and followed them to the massage tables. Earl followed Marcus. The massage therapists draped towels over the two supine men, exposing only their right legs. With slow, synchronised movements, the therapists got to work. Marcus _hmm_ -ed and closed his eyes. Earl closed his eyes and tried to focus on the generic relaxation music, but his mind raced.  
The therapists worked a routine, right leg, left leg, left arm, right arm, shoulders. Earl heard Marcus tell his therapist _no higher than there, okay?_ as his own kneaded up his thigh to his hip.  
"Turn over, please?"  
Earl turned onto his front and lay prone. His therapist started on his calf muscles. Marcus gave more instructions _Go easy there, and don't go higher than this._ Earl closed his eyes again but his mind wouldn't settle and he was uncomfortable. He asked his therapist to stop. Marcus looked over at him.  
"You okay?"  
"I'm not comfortable with a stranger getting this intimate with me." Earl looked up at the therapist. "Sorry, it's not anything you did wrong."  
The therapist shrugged. "No problem, sir, some people don't like it. I'll leave you alone."  
Marcus smiled at his therapist. "Thanks, that's enough for me too." 

"You didn't have to do that, Marcus, I was fine lying here watching your therapist work."  
"Heh. Jake's better. He knows what I like and where my limits are. I could finish your massage for you?"  
"Uh, I don't think that's a good idea."  
"I'd, y'know, like to. Or whatever. Would you be okay with someone you know touching you?"  
"Maybe. But not right now." Marcus laughed as Earl sat up and revealed the real reason he had stopped his therapist.  
"I'll let you point the way back to the changing room."  
"That is so not funny, Marcus."  
"Am I being too hard on you?"  
"Shut up, Marcus."  
"I'm glad you agreed to come on this date."  
"Marcus! Not helping!" 

Later, after Marcus had a manicure to deal with broken nails and rough skin from climbing and Earl had a pedicure because Marcus told him he had disgusting feet, they sat in a corner of the bar wearing spa robes and slippers, waiting for Jake to reveal what was next. Marcus sipped at his wine.  
"Earl, did you stop your massage therapist because you were sexually attracted to them?"  
"No! Not at all."  
"But you got aroused anyway?"  
"I didn't want to. I wanted it to stop."  
"That's kinda how I feel about sex."  
"Oh." Earl played with his glass. "So on Friday night, when I watched you--"  
"I regret that. Seeing you and Jake was so beautiful, the way you both move, the look on his face. And on yours, you like doing that with him. I felt like I ruined it. Spoiled the moment. I should have waited."  
"You didn't spoil anything, Marcus. Do you regret what you and Jake did for me afterwards?"  
"No. Yes. Ugh. No because you looked so amazing and I was part of that, yes because we should have waited until we trusted each other more." 

Jake arrived with two suit carriers.  
"Hey! Sorry for interrupting. You need to get changed then meet me out front. Be real quick or you'll miss out."  
Jake left again. Marcus and Earl took their clothing to the changing room.  
"Heh. Nice!"  
"This isn't mine!"  
"Looks like our Jake went shopping. It's ages since I saw you in a proper suit."  
Jake grinned when he saw Marcus and Earl emerge from the building and walk to the limo. "You two gentlemen having a good time? There are two more activities. It is dinner next."  
Jake drove off in the Land Rover. The limo set off a few minutes later. Marcus grinned. There was a bottle of champagne in the ice bucket. 

Marcus watched the scenery go by slowly, flat featureless rocky desert broken up with occasional outcrops and sparsely covered with creosote bush. Giant saguaro cacti peppered the sand-scape with smaller barrel cacti and fluffy looking teddy-bear cholla. He looked away, bored with the familiar monotony.  
"Earl, you got any idea where we're going for dinner?"  
"No, there's nothing out here for miles."  
The limo pulled over eventually. Marcus and Earl were directed to a waiting dune-buggy and told to hang on. It was a short but bumpy ride. They were dropped off a few metres from a fully set table near the edge of Radon Canyon, chairs set to face the setting sun. Jake held a chair for Marcus then seated Earl.  
"Oh sweet glowcloud, Jake, please tell me you didn't cook."  
"Don't worry Earl. Dinner will be uncomplicated and there should be something you like. I'll serve then leave you alone. Holler if you need anything and don't worry about waste, Marcus, the scouts will make sure there isn't anything left. They're camping a mile or so away"  
Jake poured wine and brought several fine china platters heaped with food. Earl's eyes bulged at the choice. "I'm a chef and I don't even know what half of this stuff is."  
Jake kept out of sight far enough away that he could hear them giggling and talking but couldn't make out their conversation. The sun set slowly and the light and music show started. Jake returned when the sound of conversation dried up. He waited, watching Marcus and Earl gaze at each other over the lamp light, wondering who would move first. Marcus turned his head.  
"Jake! I can feel you lurking. Get over here." 

Jake walked over. "Yes, sir?" Earl was singing quietly _We don't need re-education! We don't need no thought cont--_  
"You've redeemed yourself although I want to know how you organised a Pink Floyd tribute act. There's another thing tonight?"  
"Uh, yes, if you want you can skip it. It's nothing really."  
Earl grinned. "Oh our Jake's not sure about this one. That means we have to do it and he has to come along too."  
Jake was glad that the darkness hid his face. "No, this is your date I can't possibly--"  
"Heh. You're coming with us. Whatever it is."  
"Aaah. Okay. It's set up in my apartment. I'll take you back to the limo, you can go on ahead and--"  
"Nope." Earl held Jake's arm. "I'll signal the scouts to clear up here. You're taking us back with you." 

Jake drove back home with Marcus and Earl in the back of the Land Rover and a growing sense of panic. He stopped at the front door and helped Marcus out. "I'll go park the Landy and--"  
"Oh no you won't." Marcus took his arm. "I have staff to deal with that. Leave it."  
Earl sniggered. "Jake likes being on your staff."  
Jake groaned. "Oh no, not you too."  
"Sorry Jake. A bit of Marcus might have rubbed off on me tonight."  
"Okay. I'll just go in and set up--"  
Earl took Jake's other arm. "No, we all go together. Jake, I want to see what's so bad that you're squirming." 

Jake allowed himself to be led into his living room. The apartment was lit by candles and Jake's laptop was set to play through the TV screen. Marcus stared.  
"That's my office, upstairs!"  
Earl laughed. "Shit, Jake, you said this footage had all been erased. You kept a copy? For, uh, entertainment?"  
Jake reddened. "Please can I not watch this with you? It was meant to be a joke. There are movies instead."  
Marcus hit _play._ He grinned as he saw video-Jake stumble in backwards being simultaneously steered and having his pants pushed down by video-Earl. He turned to Jake. "Is there sound? Please tell me there's sound." Earl found the volume control and turned it up. Jake, sitting between Marcus and Earl, hid his face in his hands.  
"Oh fuck I misjudged this. Please turn it off before I die of shame."  
Marcus stopped the playback and giggled at the still of video-Earl with his hands on video-Jake's ass, leaning over his coffee table. He disconnected the laptop from the TV and stood with it under his arm.  
"Earl, I had a good time today. Come up later if you want. Jake, same. Gimme twenty minutes. I'm gonna borrow this laptop." 

Half an hour later, Earl stopped raving about the date.  
"So, do we go up to see Marcus?"  
Jake shrugged. "It's your date. You go."  
"No. Either we both go or you stay here and I go home." Earl smiled. "Know what I was thinking all day?"  
"Dunno. Maybe _Marcus has a nice ass, wonder if he'll let me stroke it and--"_  
"No! Not that... ok yes, maybe a bit. But I didn't. All day, everything you organised for us, I was thinking how much more fun it would have been if you were there too. We never dated either, we went straight to friends-with-benefits without actually making friends first."  
"Huh. Worked for us, didn't it? Want me to take us all on a date next time?"  
"I'd like that. Bet Marcus would too. But not to a spa." 

Jake knocked on Marcus's door. Marcus opened it.  
"Come in, or are you just here for a goodnight kiss?"  
Earl grinned. "A kiss would be nice."  
Jake smiled as Marcus kissed Earl. "And maybe a hug."  
Marcus wrapped one arm around Earl and held out the other to Jake. Jake slipped his arms around two waists and kissed two sets of lips. Marcus giggled.  
"I brought the coffee table through from my office if you two wanna re-enact--"  
"No!" 


	3. Deal with it.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, they're all stressed and Jake worries about how to keep the three of them together. Marcus is concerned because Hiram has gone on the run, Earl is furious about the wheat ban and Jake gets an offer from Marcus he can't believe he's refusing.

"Can you fucking believe it? It's insane!" Earl almost yelled down the phone at Jake. "I have to change the ENTIRE menu to compensate!"  
"Ugh, Earl, can't you just switch to wheat-free pasta and rice flour?" Jake held the phone away and looked at Marcus, head down concentrating on his latest financial reports.  
"NO! NO I CAN'T! Jake, they're not the same. The fake pasta bite is all wrong and the gluten-free bread texture is too open and it won't toast properly and rice flour is great for rice flour recipes but... Ugh. Sorry, I'm ranting. Is Marcus busy?"  
Jake looked up. Marcus was watching him and smiling. He held his hand out for Jake's phone.  
"Earl-honey, wanna tell me about it?"  
Jake grinned as Earl exploded into a barrage of expletives that made Marcus wince.  
"Ah c'mon, your buns had a lovely texture last week. Kept Jake's mouth full."  
"I know, come over tonight. Get out of that shithole you call _home._ I think you'll like what you might find if you explore my back passageway."  
"Heh. Yes it is, for personal use only."  
"Seriously, you wanna shut the kitchen for a coupla weeks to work out new recipes? Or you could, y'know, come over and let Jake take your mind off it or whatever. Both would be good."  
Marcus handed the phone back. "Heh. He's real unhappy about this wheat ban."  
"How long do you think your stash will last? Hiram's paying through the snouts to keep his speakeasies operating and Rico depends on your supply for his basement pizza den, plus I think he's supplying the scientists in the lab next door. If you want to save some for Earl it'll hit your profit margin and might damage his reputation."  
"You saying he's not worth it?"  
"I'm saying our favourite chef shouldn't be associated with anything illegal, he's also the scoutmaster." 

Marcus sighed and shrugged. Jake went back to his own desk in the smart town centre office block and read through his list of phone calls.  
"Hi, Mhairi? How's Mr Vansten's media coverage looking? Okay, I'll get you something to leak to the press. Will photos of him on a date with Earl do? No? Something racy this time, hmm. I'll have to set something up. Any ideas? Hah! No fucking chance. He's my boss, remember! Can you come to Vansten Mansion with a camera later? Say, eight? Call me when you're in position. Usual spot. Great!"  
"Good afternoon Mr McDaniels, this is Mr Vansten's assistant. We have the personal goods you ordered ready for delivery or collection as soon as I receive confirmation of payment. Thank you for doing business with Vansten Industries."  
"Hey salesguy Shaun, Mr Vansten regrets that he will be unable to attend your leaving party but wishes you all the best in your new job at the radio station."  
"Hi, it's Jake. I want to book two escorts for tonight, seven-thirty, Vansten Mansion. Usual kiss-and-tell contract applies. Can we have Jamie and Sam? Ok what about... Oh! Perfect. Thank you. Send the invoice to Vansten Industries, marked FAO - Publicity."  
"Good afternoon, Can you put me through to the autobiography department? Thanks... Hi, Hello. This is Mr Vansten's ghostwriter. He's not happy with the alterations you wanted in chapter three. Can we meet up for a proper discussion? Next week sometime? Hang on... nope... nope... okay I can do that. Moonlight Diner good for you? Great. See you then."  
"Hey Earl, Marcus needs a photoshoot tonight. If you want a laugh come home at eight and act all shocked and angry. Loveya!"  
"Sir? You have an appointment with your reputation at eight." 

Jake took coffee to Marcus. He was scowling.  
"You okay sir? Anything I can fix?"  
"Cheer me up, Jake. Hiram's gone on the run. Alleged insurance fraud."  
"Oh! I wondered why I got his voicemail. I'll tell Rico he can have extra this week and arrange a decoy delivery in case anyone asks to see Hiram's order as evidence."  
"Uh, yeah. But what if Hiram talks? I don't want to be re-educated."  
Jake closed the office door and walked over to Marcus. He took Marcus's hand and led him to the sofa. Marcus sat, Jake sat beside him and took both of his hands.  
"What are the chances of Hiram getting captured? He's a fucking five-headed dragon. Can you picture it? _You're under arrest Mr McDaniels, oh shit put me out, I'm on fire!"_ Marcus smiled. Jake continued. "And say he's caught, he's not going to do anything against you. It's not in his interests, he needs you as an ally."  
Marcus sighed and nodded. "Yeah, whatever. C'mere, I need time out."  
Jake swivelled to sit astride Marcus's lap, leaned over and kissed him. Marcus rested his hands on Jake's waist and reclined back, closing his eyes. Jake stroked Marcus's face and kissed him again. Marcus wrapped his arms around Jake's back and hugged him.  
"Tell you what, _Mister Vansten, sir,_ I'll make some calls. I'll deal with it. There will be nothing incriminating on your private property by tomorrow morning. After breakfast, anyway, Earl promised to teach me to make pancakes."  
"Mmm yeah. Kiss me again then get back to work. I don't pay you to waste office hours, y'know, making out with _your_ favourite boyfriend while _my_ favourite boyfriend is hard at work. Or whatever."  
Jake laughed, kissed Marcus and slipped his hands from Marcus's face, down his neck and inside his office-style robe. Marcus pushed him off. "Heh. Much more of this and you'll be hard at work too. Go organise something. Make a spreadsheet or whatever." 

Jake called Big Rico and negotiated a price for quick and discreet removal of the wheat flour hidden in the service corridor of Vansten Mansion. He called the service manager and arranged for a couple of pounds of flour to be removed and put in his own under-sink kitchen cupboard in a box labelled _Plaster of Paris._  
He texted Earl.  
 _Call me when you can x_  
His phone rang a few moments later.  
"Hey Jake. I'm closing the main kitchen until we can work out a new menu. Ugh, it'll be grill food only for the next few days but it makes my shifts easier. I can come over for eight. Want me to bring dinner?"  
"Just bring yourself and let me look after you all night."  
"Yeah, thanks. I've been angry all day. It's exhausting."  
"Marcus says you're his favourite boyfriend. Or, y'know, whatever."  
"He says that when you've been canoodling without me and he feels guilty. See you later."  
Jake frowned as he hung up. Having two boyfriends seemed to mean twice as much effort and half the reward. 

Jake dealt with the usual range of requests from Marcus, most genuinely work-related but he still liked to tease. Marcus hollered to call Jake into his office.  
"Bring me something hot!" He smirked. "Oh you're here."  
"Substandard innuendo, sir. It's after six. You must be tired." Jake grinned. "Want a ride in the Porsche?"  
"You know I do. Make it smooth and fast. I like to move fast." Marcus picked up his briefcase, Jake took it from him and they walked to the elevators.  
"Mm-hmm. The sports suspension might make it hard, Mr Vansten. It'll be a fast and hard ride."  
"As long as the brakes are good. We might come up against some unexpected obstruction."  
"They respond when I pump them, sir, although we risk getting a pounding in the rear from someone driving into us from behind." Jake noticed one of the office staff carefully studying the wall.  
"Heh. How's does it handle? Does it feel stiff or floppy?"  
"Just stiff enough, sir, the suspension is perfect. No-one likes it too floppy."  
The doors opened and they got into Marcus's private elevator to go to the basement garage. Just before the doors closed, Marcus pushed Jake against the wall and kissed him, sliding his hand down over Jake's groin. Jake pushed Marcus back, pinned him against the opposite wall. Marcus took a breath in and held it, his body tensed.  
"Marcus, I know you did that for the benefit of those gossip-mongering gawkers out there, but can you warn me first? Can we work out some code, like, I dunno— _Jake, if there are people around may I please enhance my reputation as a predator by sticking my hand in your crotch and having a rummage?"_  
Jake released Marcus.  
"Sorry. Should've asked. Shit Jake, for a minute I had no idea what you might do to me."  
"I was tempted to grind against you until we both ruined my pants. But I didn't because I don't have your permission to do that." Jake took Marcus's hand and held it against the front of his pants. "Now I'm horny as hell because Earl and I won't sleep together without you, I have a raging boner and those doors are about to open. Thank fuck I used your personal parking space today so it's a six yard dash to the car."  
"Heh. You and Earl really keeping your hands off each other?"  
"Marcus, you can move your hand now."  
Marcus hit the stop button with his free hand and massaged Jake's erection through fabric with the other. Jake gasped and held Marcus's wrist.  
"Sir, when I said _move your hand_ that's not what I expected you to do."  
"Whaddaya want, Jake? I did this and I can, y'know, deal with it. Or whatever."  
Jake stepped back, closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "I've jerked off to a fantasy starting something like this so many times I can't believe I'm saying this, but no. Not here, not now, and not without Earl."  
Marcus held Jake and kissed him. "Sorry I'm being an asshole today. Don't know what came over me." He started the elevator moving again.  
Jake sniggered. "Not me." 

Marcus’s reputation-saving photoshoot went perfectly. Jake briefed the escorts, explained their publicity duties and gave them confidentiality contracts to sign. Marcus, artfully dishevelled by Jake and wearing more jewellery than fabric, was observed leaving Vansten Mansion with his hands on two young beauties. Mhairi took a few photographs of Marcus writhing in their double embrace, captured the moment Earl arrived, only half-acting fury, and yelled _GOT IT!_  
Earl led Marcus back inside while Jake thanked the escorts and sent them home with contact details for local media, before meeting Mhairi to choose the best photos to leak and re-entering Vansten Mansion by the trade door to check the service corridor was empty and cleaned of all incriminating residue. 

Marcus hugged Earl.  
“Missed ya. Help move the metalwork?” Earl helped Marcus take off his jewellery.  
“I shut the kitchen like you said. I can work normal hours for the next few days. Means I can be around more.” He shrugged. “If you want me.”  
“Mmm yeah. I was an asshole to Jake today.”  
“Oh?”  
“Came on to him in the elevator.”  
“O-o-oh?”  
“Heh. Fucker turned me down.” 

Jake went up to Marcus’s rooms and let himself in. Marcus sat while Earl stood behind him, kneading at his shoulders. Earl looked up and smiled.  
“What’s this thing I heard about you two and an elevator?”  
“Heh, I thought I should, y’know, tell him.”  
“Jake, why did you turn Marcus down?”  
“Because it felt wrong. Marcus, you offered because you thought you should, not because you wanted it. And Earl, you weren’t there and I promised not to do anything to turn us into two couples.”  
Earl smiled. “Come over here, Jake.”  
Jake walked over and Earl kissed him. “You worry too much about us. I’m stressed about the kitchen, Marcus lives in a permanent state of mild panic over his empire and you fret about keeping your boyfriends together. Jake, do you think it’s worth it?”  
“What!”  
“Trying to hold us together all by yourself?”  
“Yes! Of course I do! Earl, you know I want this so much. I get that I want it more than you do but—“ Earl held up his hand.  
“Aaaand there’s your problem. Jake, this isn’t all about you. I want it too, so does Marcus.” Marcus _hmm_ -ed and nodded, adding a quiet _yep._

Jake frowned. “Uh, what are you telling me, exactly?”  
Earl stopped working on Marcus’s shoulders. Marcus moaned out a complaint. Earl took Jake’s hand and Marcus’s and pulled them both over to the sofa. He sat Marcus down, sat beside him and pulled Jake into his lap, wrapping his arms around Jake’s waist. Marcus tapped Jake’s knee and motioned at him to put his feet up, pulled his shoes off and stroked his shins.  
“I’m telling you to trust us. Me and Marcus. I know we don’t do stuff together as much as you’d both like but I have a busy job with late nights and my real job with the scouts keeps me occupied on my days off. I’m envious that you two get to see each other every day but I trust you not to forget about me.”  
Jake snorted. “You send us constant reminders! I especially appreciated your snapchat of the arrangement of food you sent out to that scientist’s table. Very, umm, artistic.”  
Marcus laughed. “Mmm yep. Anatomical. Heh.”  
“Yeah, well he should be less of an asshole towards my old school-friend and ask him out already. The poor guy has dropped enough hints on his radio show.”  
“Heh. You know the _Voice of Night Vale?_ Can you get me on his show?”  
Earl sighed. “Dunno. We drifted apart after school, we don’t really see each other any more. Can’t you buy the station or something?”  
“I looked into that once. Whoever buys it has a hell of a modernisation project on their hands.” 

Marcus stretched and groaned again. “I still ache from climbing up that godsforsaken cliff.”  
Earl patted Jake’s back. “Hey, I know something we can do. Marcus, you said Jake gave good massages, better than that therapist you had. He can teach me and we can ease your aching muscles together”  
Jake smiled. “You really think that, Marcus?”  
“Heh. Whatever. Hmm. Yeah.”  
Jake stood up and pointed in two directions at once. "Marcus, table or bedroom?"  
"Mmm yeah, bedroom this time."  
"Okay, I'll set up. Come through when I call." 

Earl led Marcus to his bedroom when Jake said he was ready for them. Marcus removed his robe and lay in the middle of the bed, listening to quiet music in the dimmed room. Jake stripped down to his shorts. Earl copied Jake.  
"Heh. Usually you wear more."  
"You're not the only one who wants to admire Earl's muscle tone. I'll get dressed again if you want."  
"Not, y'know, complaining. Could lose the shorts, or whatever."  
Jake took his shorts off. Earl did the same. Jake poured massage oil into his palm and took Earl's hands. He shared the oil between them. "Just do what I do." Jake stroked slowly up Marcus's left leg, Earl mirrored Jake's movements. Marcus sighed and smiled and turned when he was told. 

Earl giggled the first time Marcus snored. Jake shushed him.  
"This is a good thing. Means we've done a good job, he's properly relaxed." Jake continued drawing firm, wide circles on Marcus's back with flat palms while Earl slowly stroked from his ankles to his backside. They waited until they heard Marcus breathing deeply before lifting their hands off. Earl wrapped the quilt over Marcus and beckoned Jake over. Jake carefully clambered over Marcus, pausing to plant a kiss on his exposed shoulder.  
Jake flopped onto his back and looked up at Earl. Earl grinned back at him, lay face down and kept his voice low. "Jake, you still got that forfeit to do."  
"Mmm, I was thinking the exact same thing."  
"Think he's out for a while?"  
"Guess we'll find out."  
Jake leaned in and bit Earl's ear. "You wanted _slow_ right?"  
"Mm-hmm."  
Jake kissed Earl's cheek, sat up, shuffled down the bed and picked up the massage oil.  
"Guess I'll start down here and work my way up."  
Earl stretched and sighed as Jake got to work on his feet. 

Marcus woke aware that the bed was moving. He lay with his eyes closed for a minute, smiling to himself. He heard Earl trying to be quiet.  
 _Nnnngh faster!_  
 _We'll wake him up!_  
 _Jake... uuuhh... I want it deeper... Aah!_  
 _Sshh, turn over_  
Marcus felt the bed bounce.  
 _C'mon, legs up here._  
 _Mmm-hmmm_  
 _Oh yeah, that's...aaah! Oh yeah._  
Marcus opened his eyes and watched Jake thrusting slowly into Earl. Earl lay back with his legs up on Jake's shoulders, fists gripping the pillows behind him.  
 _Faster, Jake, fuck me faster! Need..._  
"Jake, do what Earl says. Fuck him the way he wants."  
Jake sped up. Earl hissed _yessss!_  
Marcus sat up, one hand on his erection, the other cupping his testicles, not moving. He breathed deeply and shivered at the tingling sensation in his groin. Beside him, Jake's expression changed from determined concentration. His head tilted back, his eyebrows raised and his mouth opened, he gasped in time with his new tempo. Earl groaned and clasped a hand around his cock, stroking quickly. He came, other hand clutching into the pillow and legs slipping as he tried to thrust in two directions at once. 

They met ten minutes later in the bathroom where Marcus had run. He was in the shower. Jake spoke.  
“You okay, Marcus?”  
“Yeah. Semen is kinda gross.”  
Earl nodded. “Guess it is a bit.”  
“Did you mind? I didn’t plan to interfere.”  
Earl rolled his eyes. Jake giggled. “Did I look like I minded? Move over.”  
Earl got in the shower and hugged Marcus. “Is there anything we can do for you?”  
“Heh. Wake me up sooner next time. And maybe wear a condom.” 


	4. Rules and Responsibilities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jake and Earl want to include Marcus as much as possible in a way that helps him feels comfortable. It takes a bad day at the office for Jake to realise there is a way to accomplish that. Will Marcus find joining his games with Earl helpful? It depends on sticking to the rules.

Marcus reclined against the pillows, Earl's head on his shoulder, Jake's on his stomach. "Y'know you don't have to do that for me."  
"But I think... I feel..."  
"Guilty?" Marcus raised his eyebrows and smiled.  
"Kinda." Earl frowned.  
"Why? I said I don't need it."  
Jake sighed. "I think Earl wants to do it just for you. Am I right?"  
"Jake! Yeah, maybe."  
Marcus sighed. "Earl, it's kinda sweet or whatever, but I don't want you to do it. It might make _you_ feel good but not me. It would be kinda nice at the time but I'd feel bad after."  
"Yeah, I know. I just _really_ want to."  
Jake smirked. "If you change your mind, Marcus, I can promise that Earl is _really_ good at it."  
"No, I won't change my mind."  
Earl sighed and shrugged. "Suit yourself."  
"Wanna do it for me instead? Any time you like." Jake grinned.  
Earl shook his head. "It's not _your_ birthday so I'm not making you a cake." 

Earl laughed and got out of bed. Jake shuffled up and put his arm around Marcus's chest.  
"Mmm. Do we have to get up today?"  
Marcus nodded. "Yep. Gonna be a long one."  
"I know, New Year coming up. Vansten Industries winter party to organise."  
"Jake, what did I tell you?"  
Jake smiled. "No work talk in bed, _sir."_  
"Right. C'mere." Marcus pulled Jake over on top of himself and hugged him. Jake kissed Marcus with the prolonged soft contact they all liked a little more than they admitted. Marcus stroked his hands from Jake's shoulders down his back to his buttocks and rested there. After a moment Marcus began to massage Jake's ass gently. Jake groaned.  
"Marcus, unless you want to--"  
"Ooh, you _like_ this. I can tell, somehow. Heh."  
Earl returned and slipped back into bed. "You two need some privacy here?"  
"Jake needs ya."  
"That true, Jake? Marcus getting you all worked up?"  
Jake lifted his head slightly from where he was nuzzling into Marcus's neck. "Mmhmm. He's a tease."  
"Heh. I only wanted to stroke his ass and look what happened."  
"He does have a nice ass. C'mon Marcus, I want to join in."  
Marcus flipped Jake over onto his side between them, palming Jake's buttocks while Earl made Jake arch and pant. 

Later at the main office in town, Marcus called Jake through. Jake heard the concern in Marcus's voice and stopped the letter he was composing in the middle of a word. Jake stood opposite Marcus's desk in seconds.  
"You okay, sir?"  
Marcus had his head in his hands. "Hiram is in custody. He's been captured. It was just on the radio."  
"Are you worried about what he might say that implicates you?'  
"What? No, you dealt with that. I'm concerned because he's a friend."  
"Oh! I knew you were drinking buddies. I didn't know it was more than that. Want me to see what I can find out?"  
Marcus nodded. "I hope he has a legally sanctioned way out of this. Can you find out if he needs help? Like a decent lawyer?"  
"Yessir. You need me for anything else right now?"  
Marcus nodded. Jake closed the office doors and walked round to Marcus's side of the desk. He stood behind Marcus's chair, stroked his hair and kissed his forehead. "You know he's literally a five headed dragon. He can do pretty much whatever he wants and he's in no personal danger."  
Marcus closed his eyes. "I know. But roasting members of the SSP is not going to help him. He was talking about running for Mayor."  
"Oh? I thought you had political ambitions there. Doesn't that put you in competition with Hiram?"  
Marcus shrugged. "Uh, we had a plan. More of a loose agreement or whatever."  
Jake frowned. "Perhaps you should discuss that with me some time."  
"Heh. You might need plausible deniability one day. Nothing left to discuss if Hiram is convicted of fraud. Is there anything left in the bribes and kickbacks account?"  
"Yes, it's pretty healthy. Want me to tap my contacts in the SSP? I am owed a couple of favours. I was saving them in case the police ever came after you."  
Marcus smiled. "Favours? No, don't tell me how you earned those. Call your contact, call my lawyer, sort something out for Hiram if he needs it." 

_You heard about Hiram? Marcus is worried._  
 _Yeah, I heard on the radio. Hiram can look after himself._  
 _Called in favours, he should be out soon, weeks at most, instead of vanishing._  
 _So Hiram owes you one. Or five? Useful!_  
 _Can you be home on time tonight?_  
 _If you both need me, kitchen still not ready for my new menu._  
 _Yeah. I think Marcus needs us and I got an idea about how to take him out of himself for a while._  
 _Ha! Does it involve a little role reversal?_ _Yeah. You still got our paperwork?_

"Jake! Get in here." Marcus was frowning.  
Jake shifted his feet around. "Yes, Mr Vansten?"  
He looked up from his computer. "You sort that problem out?"  
"I think so, sir. We'll know for sure when Mr McDaniels doesn't disappear by the end of the week."  
"Huh. Uh. Thanks. Or whatever."  
Jake smiled. "Can I offer you a ride home, sir?"  
"Yeah." Marcus shuffled some papers into his briefcase and handed it to Jake. Jake walked a foot behind Marcus, past the employees waiting for the staff elevator. Marcus smirked. "You come in the Porsche today?"  
Jake leered. "Not yet, sir." 

Jake drove. Marcus sat quiet in the passenger seat, staring at the dash. Jake parked and killed the engine but didn't move. He stroked Marcus's knee.  
"You okay?"  
"Mmm yeah."  
"Thinking about work?"  
"Yeah. Tough day."  
"Marcus, you know how I get Earl to switch off?"  
Marcus shrugged, "you fuck him?"  
"No. Well, yes, but before that. Remember that first night we all slept in your bed? You both freaked out a bit after? Remember how Earl and I decided who was... um..."  
"You wanna wrestle for the right to boss me around?"  
"Earl says it helps if he's stressed from a day of shouting out orders. The play fight just gets rid of any aggression we have left over. Losing means he doesn't have to think, I make all the decisions for him. Just for a while. He can switch off."  
"Huh."  
"Do you want to try it?"  
"You want me to be your sub?"  
"If you want to try it. Find out if it helps. Do you?"  
"I don't know. Maybe. Whatever."  
Jake patted Marcus's knee, got out of the car and opened Marcus's door for him. He offered Marcus an arm to help him out of the low seat.  
"We've got some stuff to talk about first." 

Earl was already there, lounging on the sofa wearing sweatpants and a deliberately tight tee. He got up and hugged them both. Jake made smalltalk about the day and asked Earl about progress in the kitchen. Marcus listened, allowing himself to be led to the bedroom to change into an evening robe. He watched Earl help Jake with his suit, carefully hanging it and handing Jake an outfit that made Marcus grin.  
"Mmm nice. You two are cheering me up already."  
"Earl, I don't think this fits me."  
"It's fine Jake. You look nice." Marcus nodded and added _mm-yep._  
"I'm used to something looser. Dinner then discussion?"  
"Good idea. I brought some new wheat-free menu items home to get your feedback. Jake, I found our paperwork, it was in your apartment, filed under G. What do you want me to do with it?"  
"Are you okay with showing Marcus what we agreed?"  
Earl smirked and nodded. "Think you can handle us both at the same time?" 

They ate and discussed food for a while. Earl reheated and served in Marcus's kitchen, which had seen more wear and tear in a fortnight than it had seen in the years since installation. Marcus stayed mostly quiet, adding comments about wine that would match different dishes. Earl wrote down his suggestions until Marcus called him over, pushed his chair back and pulled Earl into his lap.  
"You're breaking one of my rules, Earl."  
"Oh?"  
"Jake, know which one?"  
"No working at home, applies to us but not you?"  
"Ah c'mon guys, this isn't just work. I like cooking new things for you. I can trust you not to lie about what I make. Remember the tiramisu incident?" Earl held Jake's gaze for a few seconds. Jake looked away first.  
Marcus laughed. He held on to Earl, who leaned down and kissed him. Jake smiled. "How about I get one of those wine suggestions from the cellar and we can plan our evening? Earl?"  
"Mmhmm. That okay with you, Marcus?" 

With Jake out of the way for several minutes, Earl got up and took a sheet of paper from the back of his recipe collection. He brought it back and sat beside Marcus.  
"This is a questionnaire Jake and I did for each other back when we realised that I like having him tell me what to do. We're not into anything heavy, just a bit of role play sometimes. You can see our preferences and limits here. Want to add your own? You don't have to, none of us have to do anything."  
Marcus frowned. "If I find this too weird, you and Jake would stop?"  
"With each other, probably not. I need it sometimes, it calms me. We'd keep it away from you."  
"Huh. Got a pen?"  
Earl smiled and handed Marcus a red pen. "I'm blue, he's green."  
"Earl, how did you two, y'know, get into this?"  
"By accident. You pissed him off real bad this one time and he turned up my place late, uninvited and started venting at me. I'd had a bad day too so I yelled back at him. We got into a fight and I liked it. Not a proper wanna-hurt-you fight, just a bit of wrestling. I could hold him off. After a few minutes he was tired so I stopped, let him pin me down and said _you win, I'll do whatever you want tonight_ and that was it. He started telling me to do stuff like... you want all the details? Next morning I told him I liked him being dominant but we had to set boundaries because in that frame of mind I would have done almost anything he asked, whether I really wanted to or not. It's like I zone out, I'm not _me_ for a while. He was horrified at the implications. I found that questionnaire online and it gave us somewhere to start. As you can see, our tastes are pretty tame."  
Marcus looked at the form on the table in front of him. Jake returned with a bottle of wine and three glasses, poured a generous glass for each of them and left Earl to answer Marcus's questions. 

Marcus read the questionnaire and his lovers' responses in full before he uncapped his pen. Anything with two crosses got an automatic cross from him too, even if he wasn't exactly sure what it was. Next he crossed against his definite noes. Eventually he had a few sentences to explain his maybes, some ticks and a handful of question marks to give back to Earl. Earl kissed Marcus on the cheek, took the form to Jake and came back. Marcus raised one eyebrow.

"You not gonna, y'know, read it? I got questions."  
"Jake will deal with it. He will give it back to me if he thinks I need to see it. He will probably tell me to explain anything you're not sure about sometime soon. For now, he will only use your definite yeses."  
"Oh. We gonna do anything tonight?"  
"Probably not."  
"Hmm."  
"Unless there was something on that list you particularly want to do tonight, you could tell him."  
Marcus shrugged at the wine swirling in his glass. "Whatever." 

After twenty minutes Jake called them through to the living room. He sat at one end of the sofa, face calm and serious. Earl hung back by the doorway.  
"Marcus, my love? Lie here. Head on my lap. I don't want you to talk unless you really need to, but you must stop me and correct me if I get something wrong. Understand?"  
Marcus nodded and settled down. Jake stroked his hair.  
"My love, we are playing now. We need to sort out a signal that fits us all. You know Earl and I normally wrestle until I hold him down, but I don't think you'd like that. We can discuss that another time. Come in Earl-honey, Marcus would like to be part of our game. He says he would like me to tell you two to do nice things to each other and to me, but his own no-touch rules still apply and he doesn't want to be involved in any advance planning. He says that knowing in advance that he might be in a sexual situation will make him overthink it and cause more stress. He trusts us not to push his boundaries. I want you to make us all some tea and read Marcus's answers in silence. Can you do that, Earl-honey?"  
Earl nodded. Jake held out the questionnaire. Earl took it and went back to the kitchen. After a few minutes he returned with a tray, set a mug of tea out for each of them and handed back the questionnaire, smiling. Jake grinned back. Marcus's eyes flickered open and closed again. Jake continued stroking his hair and face.  
"Marcus-my-love, are you comfortable?"  
"Mmhmm." Marcus shifted and looped his arm up to rest a hand on Jake's knee.  
"Has Earl told you what to do when you want time out or to stop?"  
Earl shook his head. "We didn't--"  
Jake cut in, firm but calm. "Earl-honey, I was speaking to Marcus."  
"Sorry Jake, sorry Marcus."  
"Marcus-my-love?"  
"No. There are words, right?"  
"Yes. Words. My word is _jellyfish._ Earl?"  
 _"Tiramisu."_  
"You can pick any word you like but it can't be one that might be misinterpreted. You need time to think?"  
"Heh. No. _Bankrupt."_

Jake suppressed a giggle, avoided catching Earl's eye and spoiling the quiet mood. "Good! Any of those three words means we stop. We are not going to do anything much tonight, just settle in. See how it feels. Marcus-my-love, I want you to stay where you are. Earl-honey, go put something on TV. Find that documentary series I wanted to start last week, the one about space travel in the sixties."  
Earl got up and fiddled with the TV remote.  
"Come back and sit with Marcus's feet in your lap when you find it. I want you to massage Marcus's feet." Earl looked over his shoulder and smiled. The TV crackled into life.  
 _These are voyages of the Starship Enterprise..._  
"Marcus-my-love, are you still comfortable?"  
"Mmhmm."  
Earl lifted Marcus's feet and settled down on the sofa, warmed his hands on his mug, kneaded Marcus's soles and manipulated his ankles gently until the episode ended.  


"Marcus, I want you to sit up slowly and thank Earl for doing such a good job. You don't have to say anything, you can kiss him or touch him if you want to. Earl-honey, it's late, we are going to bed soon. You can get in the shower first. I want to talk to Marcus. Okay?"  
Earl nodded. Marcus sat up and stretched. He straddled Earl's lap, stroked his face and kissed him, eyes closed. Jake watched and smiled. Earl stroked Marcus's back. Marcus laid his head on Earl's shoulder and kissed his neck once. He slid off Earl's lap back onto the sofa. Earl patted Marcus's leg, got up and left the room. Jake turned towards Marcus.  
"I want you to speak now. How do you feel?"  
"Dunno. Quiet."  
"Here." Jake wrapped Marcus in a hug and kissed his temple. "You're going to come to the kitchen with me. I will make more tea and you can ask me anything you like."  
"Mmhmm." 

Jake led Marcus to the kitchen. Marcus leaned against the worktop and frowned. "We didn't do anything."  
Jake smiled and got two clean mugs from the dishwasher. "I know."  
"Why not?" Marcus stared at the back of Jake's head as he rummaged in the cupboard.  
"I need to know you're really okay with being told to do stuff you might not do otherwise, that you will say _bankrupt_ when you want to, that you will still be okay with anything we've done the day after. I can't find the camomile. Peppermint?"  
"Huh. Not freak out, you mean."  
"Yeah. Better to start small and gradually add stuff. Is there anything in particular you would like me to include for you next time?"  
"Uh, dunno. Up to you."  
"Okay. You're sure you don't want to be involved in planning? Earl and I usually agree an outline and I deal with the details. We decided ages ago that if you wanted to join in we'd start by just hanging out to see how you might react."  
"No! No, I can't have it in my head like that. I'll think myself into a panic."  
"Marcus, if this is uncomfortable you don't have to talk about it. You don't have to do anything. I will never ask you to do something you've said you don't want and if you ever say _bankrupt_ we all stop immediately. Come here..." Jake held his arms out and Marcus accepted the embrace. They stayed locked together, cheek to cheek, for a minute or so. "If you change your mind, tell me. Not now if you can't, but soon."  
Jake pushed a mug towards Marcus. Marcus sipped at it then blew over the top. "I kinda liked it, lying there not allowed to do anything else. You gave me permission to switch off in a way I wouldn't allow for myself."  
"Earl says the sex part is less important sometimes, although other times... umm, we can... we can move on when we are ready. Are you disappointed tonight didn't go further?" Jake inhaled the vapour rising from his mug.  
"Huh. Mmm yeah maybe. I thought... I dunno. I thought you'd have me do some of the things that made you do that grin you gave Earl when he handed the list back. Or, y'know, whatever."  
Jake laughed. "Oh you saw that? Come on, drink up. It really is late and Earl needs us." 

Earl was already in bed. Jake and Marcus shared a quick shower and joined Earl.  
"Jake! Cold!"  
Jake moved his feet. "Sorry Earl, but you're so wa-arm."  
"What do we still need to sort out?"  
"Just start and finish signals I think. Marcus?"  
"I liked watching you two rolling around the floor grappling at each other that time. Can't you still do that?"  
"Yes, if you like. Earl?"  
"Mmm. Yes. Marcus, is it okay if the grappling gets a bit, uh, _heated?"_  
"Heh. You mean you might get carried away and fuck on the floor? What- _ever_. Can you hear me rolling my eyes right now? You got a list of things Jake can order me to do that I'm okay with. Watching you two is _way_ up near the top of that list."  
"Marcus, usually we let the game continue until we fall asleep and when we wake up I make breakfast for Earl and we're back to normal. Tonight was different. How do you feel about letting the game continue until you fall asleep?"  
"Depends. I might want to stop and it limits us to, y'know, certain times and locations."  
"Mmm. I had a thought about that."  
"Earl?"  
"Yeah. We need another word for, like, when we're done but comfortable. Different from our personal words."  
"Huh. Yeah."  
Earl's brain caught up with his ears. "Marcus, are you saying you are ok with playing this game, uh, during the day? At work? When we go out? Not just here?"  
"Dunno yet. It's a maybe. I had a fantasy for a while where you brought lunch and Jake ordered you to do stuff in my office in town. It was _hot._ But I don't know if I'd like it really, I was kind of external to the scene and you messed up my desk."  
Jake laughed. "Marcus, your desk is always perfect. You'd have to move your feet off it, though. Usually the game ends when I bring Earl breakfast, right? Can we use a word associated with that?"  
Earl put his arms around both men. "I like _pancakes."_


	5. Words.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio are holing up for the Valentine's Day weekend. Trouble is, Marcus has his rooms, Jake has his apartment, what about Earl? Marcus is too busy to deal with it. Jake doesn't see the problem and makes it far worse with words that rock Earl's confidence in his place in the relationship.
> 
> Who will fix the things Jake can't?

Jake frowned. "Who was that man you were talking to?"  
"What man?"  
"Marcus, you were just deep in conversation with a man. Wearing a tan jacket. He had a small suitcase or a large briefcase or something."  
Marcus shrugged. "Dunno what you're talking about. I've been standing here waiting for you to bring the car round. You took your time, heh, some company would have been nice."  
"You were! I saw you both! He walked away real quick when he saw me stopping."  
"What did he look like?"  
"Uh? Man, tan jacket..."  
"Look, there's Earl! Great, we can go."  
Earl waved and joined them. "You two arguing? What's up?"  
Marcus sighed. "Jake's jealous because he thought he saw me talking to someone."  
"What? Why would that make me jealous? Marcus..."  
"Okay Jake, Marcus, both of you just shut the fuck up right now. Jake, are you feeling jealous because of anything Marcus has done?"  
"No."  
"Marcus, are you seeing anyone else apart from us?"  
"Heh, not a chance."  
"So what's the problem? Kiss and make out. I mean make up."  
Jake snorted. "Yes, chef! Sorry Marcus, I have no idea what I was so angry about. I can't even remember. Earl, you wanna drive? Marcus, I owe you an apology. May I apologise to you all over the back seat of the limo like a teenager on prom night?" 

Earl took the keys from Jake and got into the driver's side. Jake opened the rear door and held it for Marcus then slid in beside him and clicked the door shut. "Closed for a long weekend. Does Valentine's Day always hit businesses this bad?"  
"No, it varies. Heh. Better to close and keep my business safe than stay open and risk injury. I take my business very seriously. I can do a lot from home anyway, especially if you are there too."  
"And Earl?"  
"We need to eat, right? Can't have my best assistant starving with nothing nice to put in his mouth."  
The car lurched to the left causing Marcus to lean into Jake. Jake held Marcus and kissed him.  
"Heh. You tell him to do that?"  
"No, I already have an excuse to be extra nice to you. I owe you an apology, remember?"  
Marcus frowned. "Do you? What for?"  
Jake shrugged and smiled. "I forgot." He pulled Marcus into his lap, kissed him again and wondered if this was the limo with the security camera or if Earl only had sound. He looked around for the camera aperture. There was none. He grinned. "Marcus, this is nice. I hardly ever get a ride with you in the limo."  
"Heh. Yup, usually I make you ride with the driver."  
Jake stifled a snort. "Earl is letting us have a very smooth ride today."  
"Mmm yep, but he pulls out abruptly." Marcus grinned.  
"Yeah, real fast. Like he's in a hurry to get to his destination."  
The partition lowered. Earl glanced round, grinning. "Jake, you got a point to make? Would you rather be in my driving position?"  
Jake laughed. "You know me, Earl. I like to drive my point home." 

Earl abandoned the limo by the front door and tossed the keys to the garage assistant. Jake told them to secure the garage and go home. Jake's apartment and Marcus's rooms were both stocked with food and they had no reason to leave the mansion all weekend. Marcus and Jake planned to work from Marcus's home office while Earl developed recipes for the restaurant in Jake's kitchen and kept them all well fed. Marcus dismissed most of the remaining staff, retaining only three well armed security staff and a member of the service team who, qualified in both plumbing and electrics, was one of the highest paid employees of Vansten Industries and had their own apartment only slightly smaller than Jake's.  
Accommodation caused their first argument. 

"Marcus, what if we all irritate each other and want a night apart?" Earl asked. Marcus was in his office poring over his latest financial report. "You've got your rooms, Jake has his apartment and I have nowhere."  
Marcus frowned. "Earl, can you bug Jake with this? You've crashed at his place before. Heh, so have I. I'm real busy right now. Gotta concentrate."  
"Huh. Fine." Earl went to find Jake. Jake was in Marcus's kitchen, making phone calls, finger keeping place in Marcus's diary. He looked up and smiled, signalled _wait_ with an eye roll and a wink. Earl hung around in the doorway until Jake finished his call and updated Marcus's diary.  
"You okay Earl? You look kinda off."  
"I tried to ask Marcus if I could have my own room here but I think I fucked it up. Anyway he said to talk to you. Well, he said _go bug Jake I'm busy."_  
"Huh. He is pretty busy, financial reports coming in and stuff, that puts him in a mood if profits are not what he wants. Are we all likely to need separate places this weekend? If you and Marcus fall out you can have my place and if you and I need space you can have my place too. If Marcus and I argue you get to choose." Earl shook his head.  
"Oh my fucking glowcloud. Have you any idea what you just said? It's all of us or none of us. That has always been our rule. In my head, at least." Jake's phone rang. He looked at it and made a helpless little shrug. Earl folded his arms. "Fine. Answer the godsdamn phone. I'll be outside in the garage. You know, with the other spare wheels." 

Jake finished his phone calls and gave Earl's comments some thought.  
 _I fucked up bad, is Earl with you?_  
 _no you broke it you fix it_  
 _Hey Earl, I'm an asshole. I'm sorry._  
  
 _Really sorry. I know what I implied._  
  
 _Coming to find you._

Jake searched for Earl in Marcus's apartment, in his apartment, in the garage and eventually searched the grounds. He found Earl sitting in an ornamental cactus garden he didn't know Marcus had.  
"Earl, I'm a dick. I am so sorry about what I said."  
Earl sat on the ground, hugging his knees. "You know what? It's not even that. It's the casual way you let me know that despite what you both pretend, you and Marcus are the main part of this relationship. What the fuck even am I to you two? You live here together and I have a shithole of a room above the restaurant. You work together. You have in-jokes I'm not part of--"  
"Earl, it's not--"  
"Shut up Jake, it is totally like that. I see the way you two look at each other, hear you whispering when you think I'm not listening, touch when we're together. I see how everything we do is centred on him. It's like he's the Earth and you're the Moon and I'm a fucking comet, close for a while but getting so far away and so cold and dim in the void that you won't see me any more. Shit, Jake. I thought this was something."  
Jake sat on the ground next to Earl.  
"Fuck. I fucked up. I'm fucking up constantly without even realising."  
"Yeah." 

They sat in silence for a while.  
"I love you, Earl."  
"You love Marcus more."  
Jake sighed. "No, he's more fragile than you. He talks big but he needs constant reassurance that he's loved. You don't say much, you keep quiet and I was wrong to assume that means you're okay, stronger. He still asks me if you'll like things, what he can do for you. You're no comet, Earl, you're the fucking Sun. Will you forgive me and help me to stop fucking up? I want us all to be together."  
Earl shrugged. "S'pose."  
"It's getting cold out. Come in and look at rooms? There must be some space here you can have. Then can we go talk to Marcus?"  
"Uh. Jake, please don't tell Marcus I had a meltdown."  
Jake edged closer to Earl and put an arm around his shoulders. "I won't. Can I tell him how badly I fucked up? He needs to know if there's a problem between us."  
"S'pose." 

Jake stood up and helped Earl up. He led Earl back to the house and made it just before the first explosions rattled the windows. Marcus was waiting for them by the doors to his private rooms. He yelled.  
"BOYS! GET IN HERE!"  
Jake and Earl looked at each other and ran upstairs. Marcus was in his office by the time they reached his door, staring at his laptop screen.  
"I found something. Maybe. Whatever. Just, y'know, look, talk, and tell me what you think." He pointed at the screen and left the room. "I'll be choosing wine."  
Earl frowned. "He only calls us that when we've done something wrong."  
Jake nodded. "Think he knows?" He turned Marcus's laptop to face them and stared at the screen.  
"Oh! That would, umm, I mean if you want, if he wants, that would help. But... Jake?"  
Jake stared at the screen. It was a real estate website.  
  
 **For Sale or To Let** contact Stags Premier Estate Agents  
 _Beautifully presented family dwelling, 5 bed, 5 bath, 2 public rooms, large modern kitchen, secluded location in generous landscaped plot, triple garage, security gates, separate servants' apartment..._  
  
"It looks perfect. Earl, you said _but_?"  
"I live in a shitty room above the restaurant for a good reason."  
"Oh?"  
"It's what I can afford."  
"Oh. No problem, Marcus can afford to buy this place outright with half of the neighbourhood if he decides he doesn't like the neighbours."  
"Jake, you know what I mean."  
"Shit, Earl, we had a problem and Marcus found us a solution and now there's a different problem? What the actual fuck, Earl? Are you looking for a way out that isn't your fault?"  
"What? You blaming all this on me?"  
"No of course not. But you're not helping. Do expect Marcus to take a room at your shitty place? Or me? I can afford better and I'm happy to help you out if you fucking let me. So is Marcus, clearly. Swallow your fucking pride, Earl. It's not a loan, nobody expects anything in return except that you fuckING TAKE IT. Shit, Earl, you don't even have to say thanks."  
"YOU LITTLE SHIT! JAKE, Have you got ANY idea how it feels to be the one who can't afford nights out and nice clothes and ALWAYS FEELS LIKE HE OWES YOU?"  
"IS IT MY FAULT YOU HAVE A PROBLEM ACCEPTING HELP? I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE BLAMING ME FOR..."  
Marcus didn't hear any more yelling. He stood in the doorway until Jake lay across Earl's heaving chest, pinned his arms down and demanded that Earl give in and _fucking well do as you're told like a good boy._

Earl nodded and went limp. Jake got up, yelled _JELLYFISH_ and Earl wept. Marcus helped Earl up and half-carried him to the sofa in the living room. Jake took Marcus's hand and pulled him out of the room.  
"Earl's having some problems."  
Marcus scowled at Jake. "Oh really? Just Earl? Jeez Jake, you fucked up even more!"  
Jake shrugged and rubbed his head with both hands. "I can't fix this. Marcus, I don't know what to do, everything I say is wrong."  
"You asking _me_ for advice?" Marcus paced the hallway. "Shit."  
"How much of our fight did you hear?" Jake held Marcus's arm. Marcus stopped pacing, patted Jake's hand.  
"Heh. Most."  
Jake made eye contact with Marcus and looked away again. "Has this broken us? Can you talk to him?"  
Marcus shrugged. "I don't know. Jake, don't be offended but, mmm, fuck off for a while. I'll call you." 

Marcus sat with Earl and held him.  
"Dunno if I ever made it clear, Earl, but I love you and I want to do things that make us happy with each other. What can I do about that and still have you respect yourself, mmh?"  
Earl unwound and put his arms around Marcus. He mumbled something.  
"I didn't hear you there. Hope you said something nice. Heh."  
"Love you too."  
Marcus grinned and held Earl tighter.  
"You have no idea how good it feels to hear you say that. Earl, we can work something out, something fair. I would like very much for us all to have a place together. Not here, somewhere that suits us all. Would you like that?"  
Earl nodded.  
"I understand you don't want to accept anything for free. I respect that. So we will reach some kind of deal that you can afford. Right? Jake can organise it. With a fucking spreadsheet. If I make him do conditional formatting he'll probably come on his laptop."  
Earl sniffled and giggled. Marcus offered him kitchen roll.  
"Tonight, you and I can watch shit TV, drink wine and do what ever we feel like doing. Jake's banished for the moment unless you want him here." 

Earl smiled at Marcus as he filled his glass for the third time. He turned back to the TV for a few minutes but his attention and gaze returned to Marcus. Marcus met his gaze and clicked the remote to turn the TV off. Marcus reached for Earl, pulling him on top and kissing him.  
"Heh. Join me in the shower?"  
Earl got up and reached a hand out to Marcus. They walked hand in hand through Marcus's bedroom to the shower. Marcus removed Earl's clothing and his own robe, letting everything crumple onto the floor. Earl set the shower running, pulled Marcus in with him and held him close, kissing him. Marcus stroked down Earl's back to his waist, around and up his chest then down again.  
"Marcus, you don't have to."  
"I want to, Earl, will you let me?"  
"Oh fuck yes. Want me to wear--"  
"Got one." Marcus used gentle fingers to roll a condom over Earl's erection. He stroked Earl with his hands a few times then dropped to his knees.  
"Fuck! Marcus, you _really_ don't have to... Aaah fuck me that feels good! Marcus!"  
Earl raised his arms and gripped the top edge of the shower enclosure just above his head. Marcus leaned in, pinning Earl's hips against the cold glass. He moved his head and his tongue with a rhythm that soon made Earl tremble.  
"Mmm... 'm gonna..."  
Marcus moved his head away despite the security of the condom and stroked Earl through his climax. After, Earl sank to his knees and kissed Marcus.  
"You didn't have to do that. But, fuck, that was nice."  
"Heh. It was on my maybe list, flavoured condom and thanks for the warning. Earl, I don't want you to return the favour. I did that because I wanted to do it. Won't happen often. I'm, uh, gonna look after myself now or whatever. You don't have to stay in here."  
Earl kissed Marcus. "Do you want me to go? I want to stay if you're okay with me watching. Can I hold you or something while you do it?"  
Marcus shook his head, sat back on his heels, knees apart, back to Earl. He stroked his cock with one hand and cupped his balls with the other until he came, curling over himself and swearing, and the shower washed him clean. 

Later, arms around each other in bed, they talked over the day.  
"Seriously, Jake will come up with something. Heh. He's a planner."  
"He's still an asshole."  
"Thought you liked his asshole?"  
"Marcus! Um, that was unexpected tonight. Are you okay?"  
"Mmm yeah. Not freaking out this time. Don't tell Jake. I don't do that often. I don't want him to think he can tell me to do it and I'll always be okay with it. Y'know. If we're playing or, like, whatever."  
"Have you ever--"  
"Not with Jake."  
"Oh."  
"Heh."  
"What can I do for you in return?"  
"Stay with me. Don't be an asshole about whatever scheme Jake thinks up."  
"Anything else?"  
"Earl, if you're hinting about sex, stop. Do you need _everything_ to be absolutely fair and equal? I once had someone who kept track of how many orgasms they thought they _owed_ me, used the fact that _they_ felt guilty for not giving to make _me_ feel guilty about not taking. Don't be that douche. If I want you to touch me like that, I will tell you. Heh, don't hold your breath. Right now I want you to lie with your arms around me and let me fall asleep with my arm on your chest and my head on your shoulder. That's what I want from you and it means more to me than what we just did in the shower. But first, you gonna call Jake or am I?" 

Jake arrived a few minutes after Earl called from Marcus's phone. He undressed and slipped into bed placing Earl in the middle and lay awake until morning. 


	6. Moving On (1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marcus confesses, sort of.  
> So does Earl, sort of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and ch7 were one, but a bit longer than intended so I split them.  
> Ch7 is mainly, uh, gratuitous.

Earl woke with Marcus still in his arms and slightly warm but vacant dent on his other side. He kissed the top of Marcus's head, carefully slid his arm out from under his neck and massaged life back into his numb limb. Marcus opened his eyes, yawned and rubbed his face.  
"Mmm I can smell coffee and pancakes."  
"Jake must be feeling guilty."  
"Heh. Hope it's blues and cashews with maple syrup."  
"Mmm or banana and cinnamon."  
"Wanna go see?"  
"Yeah."  
Earl and Marcus got out of bed. Marcus took Earl's hand and led him to the kitchen. 

Jake faced the hob. "Hey you two, I made blueberry for you, Marcus, sorry there are no cashews but we were short of flour so I made up the difference with ground almonds like Earl showed me. Earl you've got banana. The maple syrup and cinnamon sugar are on the table and..." Jake half turned and almost dropped the pan. "Oh! Uh, guys that's a lot to take in first thing in the morning. Couldn't you have stopped for shorts or robes or something?"  
"Heh. Just don't spill anything hot, Jake, we'll be fine."  
"Jake, you're staring. My eyes are up here."  
Jake looked up to see Earl grinning at him. He smiled back. "You both sit down, I'll bring coffee and pancakes. And robes." 

Marcus looked at his plate and grimaced. Each pancake had a heart shape traced in darker batter. Earl grinned. "I showed him how to do that with a squeezy bottle. Be nice when he comes back. No fake retching noises, he did a nice thing."  
"Heh. Who says it's fake?"  
Jake returned with two robes and sat with Marcus and Earl. He fiddled with his mug.  
"I was so relieved to get your call last night. I thought--"  
"More coffee?" Earl got up and went to the machine.  
"Heh. Time to move on, Jake."  
Jake smiled and wiped his eyes. "Marcus--"  
Marcus shook his head. "Not now." He stilled Jake's hands with his own until Earl brought fresh coffee. 

"So-o-o. Jake, you're good with spreadsheets, right? Heh."  
Earl sniggered and Jake frowned. "You know I am, why?"  
"I had an idea, or whatever."  
"Ye-e-es?" pitch increasing, Jake's tone wary.  
"We need a place that's _ours_ instead of _mine_. Big enough for us all, but affordable for everybody. Uh-huh?"  
"We do, Marcus."  
"Make it happen, Jake, in a fair way. With a spreadsheet." Marcus smiled and winked at Earl. "Colour code it with conditional formatting if you're into that sort of thing." Voice lower. "I know you want to."  
Earl burst out laughing. 

Jake rolled his eyes. "I get it. I'll find something that works. Earl, may I access your employment records?"  
"Uh? I dunno, what do you need to know?"  
"Nothing much, just basic income so I can work out how much you can afford."  
"Oh. I can tell you that. No need to look stuff up."  
"Marcus? Can I see your personal accounts? Not the official ones. The _real_ ones."  
"Heh, no. Plausible deniability, Jakeyboy."  
Jake sighed. "I need you each to write down the amount you are prepared to pay each month. I will find us someplace based on that." Jake fetched post-it notes and a pen from Marcus's home office. Marcus and Earl each wrote something and passed their yellow squares to Jake. He stuffed them in his pocket. "Now, we need to decide on what we want. Earl? Marcus?" 

"A bedroom each."  
"And a different, bigger, master-bedroom that's _ours."_  
"An office. In case I have to, y'know, work. Or whatever."  
"Proper fitted kitchen. Not one of those tiny modern microwave-and-fridge places."  
"Storage space. Garage."  
"Not overlooked. Heh, unless the neighbours wanna see--"  
"Marcus!"  
"A pool!"  
"Come on, guys, this has to be realistic."  
"HUGE shower or, oh! A walk-in wet room."  
"Fuck, yes!"  
"Heh, nice, not arguing." 

After breakfast, Earl announced he wanted to work in Jake’s kitchen and left Marcus’s rooms. Marcus grumbled about having to evaluate potential new investments and went to his office. Jake looked at the two post-it notes and opened his laptop on the kitchen table. He knew without looking up Earl's salary that the modest figure he quoted was right at the limit of what he could afford. Marcus's note just said "whatever". He opened a new spreadsheet, added Earl’s figure, a formula to multiply it up for his own contribution and stared at the blank space next to Marcus’s name.  
Jake frowned and bit his lip. He checked a few property websites for ball-park figures, adding them to the spreadsheet and working backwards to get Marcus's share.  
"Heh. You really _do_ like spreadsheets!"  
Jake jumped. "Marcus! I didn't even hear you come in." Marcus put his hands on Jake's shoulders and massaged gently. Jake dropped his chin. "Mmm. Nice."  
"Jake, whatever place you find, you know I wanna buy it outright. Cash, yeah? No need to bother the bank, or whatever. Find a way to make it look fair to Earl."  
"Marcus, last night--"  
Marcus slipped a hand under Jake's chin and tilted Jake's head back to look at him upside down. He leaned down and kissed Jake. "Heh, that feels weird upside down. Find us a home, Jake." Marcus kissed Jake again and left the kitchen. 

Jake narrowed his search to his top three properties in time for lunch. Earl arrived with a tray, followed by Marcus. They ate standing over Jake's laptop as he showed the houses he had found. One Earl ruled out immediately.  
"No, it's a good price for a reason. Too near the library." Even Marcus shuddered.  
"Heh. I should open my own library."  
Jake grinned. "You? Marcus, what would you do? Stand around naked looking at the books and feeling them occasionally?"  
"Sounds perfect, Jake. Oh, not that one." Marcus shook his head. "Nope."  
"Why not, Marcus?"  
"Look." He pointed stat the map. "Ugh _Desert Bluffs_ "  
"There is only one place left." Jake clicked the last open tab.  
"Heh."  
"It's, umm, a bit of a fixer-upper, Jake."  
"I know Earl, but it's big, secluded, convenient for town and..." Jake pointed at the number at the bottom of the screen.  
"Oh! That's very reasonable."  
"Mmm. Move you to my investments team if you're not careful."  
"I'll call your surveyors, Marcus, get estimates for modernisation. Earl? Can we talk?"  
"Jake, Earl's real busy. Later, hmm?" Earl stared at Marcus for a few seconds, caught his slight head-shake and took the empty tray back down to Jake's kitchen. Jake caught Marcus's arm.  
"Marcus, why are you stopping me from talking to Earl?" 

Marcus closed Jake's laptop, took his hand and led him to the living room. They perched on the sofa. Jake watched Marcus's face, Marcus addressed the rug by his feet.  
"Um, I want to talk to you before Earl does. But, mm, whatever."  
"Marcus, come here, I know."  
"Oh?"  
"Come here." Jake sat back and held his arm out. Marcus leaned back against him. "I think I know what this is about, anyway. Do you need me to say it for you?"  
"Maybe."  
"If you didn't want me to know, you wouldn't have left anything for me to find and tidy up at one in the morning. It's fine, Marcus." Jake stroked Marcus's jaw and kissed his cheek. "Thank you. For fixing my fuck up."  
"Whatever. Wasn't doing it just for you. I wanted to, for Earl, make him feel good, but it doesn't mean... y'know."  
"I know. Did he do that cute thing where he reaches up behind him and holds on?"  
Marcus sniggered. "Mmm yep."  
"Swear a lot?"  
"Uh-huh."  
Jake smiled and hugged Marcus. He kissed the back of Marcus's neck and shoulder, making him shrug and wriggle. "So can I go talk to Earl now?" 

Jake found Earl in his kitchen. Earl scowled. "That's it, no more wheat flour. Corn flour and rice flour only, or ground oatmeal. Ugh, not the same at all."  
Jake put his arms around Earl's waist and leaned his head on the chef's shoulder from behind. Earl paused, still holding a mixing bowl in his hands and rested his head against Jake's.  
"Mmm. Love you, Earl. Sorry 'bout yesterday."  
"Sorry too. Love you too. Marcus said he loves me, first time he's said it."  
"He really does. Forgive me?"  
"S'pose."  
"Mmm."  
"Jake..."  
"Mmm?"  
"We, umm, did some stuff."  
"Yeah. I heard you were real cute."  
"Oh! He told you. Huh."  
Jake laughed. "Not exactly, I worked it out from the evidence. One opened pack of flavoured condoms in the shower rack, one used and in the wastebasket. Not difficult to work it out even at one a.m."  
"Do you mind? He said he's never done that with you."  
Jake nuzzled into Earl's shoulder. "Gave me an image to focus on while I failed to fall asleep. It made me feel a little competitive."  
"How so?" Earl set the mixing bowl down on the worktop.  
"I bet I'm a whole lot better at blowing you than he is."  
Earl snorted. "I would never comment one way or the other but if you need reassurance I'm willing to help you collect more evidence."  
"What, now?" Jake grinned and slipped his hands under Earl's waistband.  
"Whoa, not in the kitchen, Jake!"  
Jake and Earl giggled together then held each other in quiet. Jake spoke first. "Want to play later instead?"  
"Yeah, what did you have in mind?"  
"You know how you reach your hands up and grab on behind you when you get real happy?"  
Earl smiled. "Oh? Do I?"  
"Mmm. It's kinda hot. Uh, what if instead of gripping the pillows I gave you something to pull against?"  
Earl murmured to Jake. "Mmhm, been a while since you practised the knots I taught you. Think he'll like it?"  
"It's a _maybe."_  
"Oh. Better make it a demo in that case." 

Jake returned to Marcus's rooms as quietly as he could. He stashed the box he brought up from under his own bed under Marcus's instead. Marcus was in his office and looked up as Jake entered the room.  
"Jake! You were gone a while."  
Jake smiled. "Earl is making some kind of bake for dinner and once it went in the oven we talked for a while. Can he move in to one of the staff rooms upstairs until we have a place that's ours?"  
Marcus frowned and shook his head. "There's something, y'know, better than that."  
"Oh?"  
"Downstairs, turn left, end of the corridor. Says _furnace_ on the door. Heh. I forgot about it."  
_"Oh?"_  
"It's Hiram's when he used to stay over. Guess he's got a secure roof over his heads right now." 

Earl laughed. _"Furnace._ Really, Marcus? Did it get _hot_ in here sometimes?"  
"What _ever._ We're friends."  
"Good friends?"  
"Mmhm yep. He's one of four beings I'm prepared to get drunk with."  
"If I can rent this, do we need a new place?"  
"Mmm yep, Hiram will be out soon and I'm not gonna stop, y'know, socialising or whatever."  
Earl shrugged. "Fine. Uh, Marcus, four beings?"  
"Yep. You two, Hiram and Josie." 

They returned to Marcus's rooms to find Jake waiting, hair damp from the shower. "Earl, you been in a hot kitchen all day. Wanna shower?"  
"Heh, Jake thinks you stink."  
Earl grinned. "That so Jake? Bite me."  
Jake shrugged. "Think you can take me?"  
Marcus stepped back, half-smiling, eyes wide open and brows high. Earl growled _Damn right!_ and launched himself towards Jake. Jake deflected Earl, grabbed one arm and spun him around. Earl's back slammed into the wall and he stood for a couple of seconds, pinned by the arm over his head. Jake moved in to kiss Earl but Earl dodged and pushed Jake sideways onto the sofa. Jake fell, unbalancing Earl, pulling him over onto the floor. Jake rolled off the sofa and landed on top, winding Earl.  
_"Oofff,_ Shit Jake, you put weight on?" Earl flipped Jake over onto his back and rolled on top. Jake clutched tight around Earl's arms, pinning them to his sides at elbow level, and rolled over again. They lay, Jake on top of Earl, Earl struggling to move and Marcus sniggering. Jake grinned and very gently bit Earl's neck. 


	7. Moving On (2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Contains almost no plot.

Jake dropped his voice a little and spoke in the calm tone he used when he wanted Earl and Marcus to listen _very_ carefully. "Give in, Earl."  
Earl kissed Jake's head. "You win, Jake. I'll do as I'm told."  
"Marcus?" Jake craned his neck to judge Marcus's expression. Marcus smiled and closed his eyes. He shook his head. Jake got up and stood by Marcus.  
"Earl, go get in the shower." Earl left the room. "Ma-a-arcus?"  
"You two go ahead."  
Jake stroked Marcus's face and kissed his jaw. Jake's voice stayed calm and even. "Marcus, I want you to trust me."  
"Yesterday doesn't change anything."  
Jake cupped Marcus's face in both hands and kissed his forehead. "You have a word to use at any time. Do you want to say it now?"  
"I don't want to spoil anything later."  
"You won't, I promise. If we need to stop, it's fine," Jake shrugged. "We stop."  
Marcus opened his eyes to meet Jake's steady gaze. He smiled after a few seconds. "If you're sure I won't spoil your fun by backing out at the wrong moment."  
Jake grinned. "Marcus, there's a box under your bed. I want you to bring it out but don't look inside." 

Jake walked into the bedroom a few minutes later. Earl stood naked, towelling his hair, Marcus lounged beside the box, watching Earl and smiling.  
"Earl, get rid of the towel and stand still. Marcus, look at Earl. Do you want to touch him?"  
"Hmm yeah."  
"Go do that." Marcus slid off the bed and stood behind Earl, fingers tracing the outlines of Earl's muscles. "Lose the robe and close your eyes, Marcus. I want you to learn how Earl feels."  
Marcus shrugged out of his robe and closed his eyes. Earl shivered at Marcus's touch. Jake opened the box and took out a length of deep blue fabric. He stood in front of Earl.  
"Close them, Earl-my-love." Earl did as he was told. Jake wrapped the fabric around Earl's eyes twice, secured it with a bow at the side. Earl grinned and sighed, Jake watched as Marcus's hands reached Earl's waist and hips, massaging small circles along his hipbone and down. Marcus smiled and brushed the backs of his fingers down Earl's buttocks then held flat palms against them.  
Jake looked at Earl's response to Marcus's touch. "Good work, Marcus. You can open your eyes again. I want you to lead Earl onto the bed. Get him comfortable on his back. Hmm, a little lower. Earl, can you reach up for me?"  
Earl stretched his arms up across the pillows. Jake opened his box again and brought out a gauzy fabric scarf.

Marcus stared.  
"Marcus-sweetie, I want you to watch how I tie this. Earl? Are you comfortable my love?" Earl nodded. Jake looped the fabric back on itself, guided Earl's hand through the loop and tied the free ends in a bow around the bedstead. He tucked one of the loose ends into Earl's hand. "Earl, show Marcus what you can do if you are uncomfortable." Earl pulled the fabric in his hand and his restraint came free. Jake looked at Marcus. Marcus nodded. Jake handed a second, identical scarf to Marcus and demonstrated the knot again. Jake secured Earl's ankles then checked Marcus's knot. He smiled and kissed Marcus's cheek. "Excellent work, Marcus."  
Jake took a second blindfold from the box. He held it up but Marcus shook his head. Jake closed the box and put it out of sight. "Marcus, I want you to trust me. I want you to wear this. You can put it on yourself if you want."  
Marcus took the dark fabric. He watched Jake undress and fold his clothes. Jake took the blindfold back and Marcus allowed him to tie it for him.  
"Marcus-sweetie, nod if you are comfortable." Marcus nodded. "Earl-honey?" Earl grinned and nodded. Jake took Marcus's hands and placed them on Earl's stomach. Marcus smiled and stroked, careful to avoid straying too low. Jake watched as Marcus worked his way up to Earl's chest and shoulders. Earl gave a comfortable sigh as Marcus stroked his deltoids. 

"Marcus, love, hands off now. Earl, honey, can you slide down as far as you can?" Marcus knelt back. Earl shuffled down until his arms were outstretched, his knees slightly bent and his head off the pillows. Jake removed the pillows and dropped them on the floor. He walked around the bed to where Marcus knelt. He kissed the back of Marcus's neck and stroked his back.  
"Can you feel what this is?" Jake put a small square plastic packet in Marcus's hand. Marcus felt the ring shape it contained and the serrated edges and nodded. "Put it somewhere you will find it if you want it later. I'll deal with my own and Earl's. I'm going to move you, Marcus love. Okay? Relax and I will put you where I want you. Careful!"  
Jake manoeuvred Marcus so that he sat between Earl's legs with Earl's knees over his thighs. Three lots of giggling broke the mood a little but Jake established order with brief, sharp words. Jake placed Marcus's hands on Earl's thighs and the pillows behind him.  
"Marcus sweetie, can you feel where you are?" Marcus nodded. "I want you to reach as far as you want then stop." Marcus ran his palms up Earl's thighs almost to his hips, Marcus's thumbs massaged Earl's inner thighs. Earl's cock twitched. "Now stay still. Both of you." Jake moved up to Earl's head, placed a knee either side of his chest and leaned forwards until the end of his erect penis rested on Earl's chin. Earl opened his mouth to envelop the head of Jake's cock. He flicked his tongue around it and pushed his head up to take in more. Jake sank down a little so that Earl could relax. He sighed and _hmm_ -ed as Earl made him tingle. Earl pushed Jake's cock out of his mouth and tongued along the shaft to his scrotum. Jake let out a breathy _aaah!_ as Earl sealed his lips and used his tongue to massage his testicles. After a few seconds, Jake giggled and lifted up. Earl let go and allowed Jake to support his head as he mouthed back to the head of his cock.  
Jake wondered how much Marcus could deduce from the sounds he and Earl made. Jake tapped Earl's cheek, sat back and looked over his shoulder. Marcus reclined on the pillows behind him. He had slipped off to the side, untied one of Earl's ankles and stroked Earl's leg with both hands. Earl's foot was on Marcus's shoulder. Marcus turned his head and bit and sucked each toe in turn. Marcus wore the condom Jake had offered him and his erection was partly under Earl's thigh. Earl shifted, wriggling for comfort, and Marcus groaned.  
Jake moved off Earl and knelt by his side, hands on his chest just for continuous contact. Marcus shifted and sat up.  
"Marcus my love, are you comfortable?" Marcus shook his head. "Marcus, I want you to remove your blindfold and take some time out."  
Marcus clambered off the end of the bed, dropped the blindfold without looking back and went into the shower room, closing the door behind him. Jake turned to Earl.  
"Now, sweetie, shuffle up and raise your hips for me." Earl felt Jake push a pillow under his hips. Jake untied Earl from the bed frame. He bound Earl's right knee to his right wrist, left knee to left wrist before putting a condom on for Earl, then himself. Jake leaned back over to the box and took out a rubber glove and a bottle of lube.  
"Earl-honey, are you comfortable?" Earl nodded. "This might feel a little cold." 

Earl breathed in sharp as Jake entered him with one slippery finger and slowly circled it a few times before pushing a second in. Jake crouched over, picking up Earl's cock with his mouth and swirling his tongue around it. He pushed his fingers deeper, thrusting his hand and his head in phase.  
"Mmm Jake, gonna..."  
Jake slowed down, stopped and Earl groaned _bastard!_ quietly. Jake grinned. "Oh sweetie I'm not finished with you yet." He added a third finger, twisting and pushing into Earl and Earl tilted his hips up onto him. Jake removed his fingers, peeled off the glove inside out and dropped it. He pushed into Earl slowly, feeling Earl tighten and relax around him. Jake set a slow pace that made them both crave more and clasped Earl's cock.  
"Mmm Jake, wanna... faster. Mmhmm."  
"U-u-uh... fu-uck!"  
"ah-ahah gonna!"  
Jake felt his climax build quickly and sped it along with fantasy, although he was never sure whether his fantasy of Marcus ramming into him while he fucked Earl drove his orgasm or if it was the other way round. Jake's pulsing climax sent Earl over the edge of his own and he came, cursing and curling around Jake. Jake sank his head onto Earl's chest and kissed wherever he could reach. Earl giggled as Jake softened and slipped out. Jake untied Earl, hugged him for a minute and tidied up.  
Marcus emerged from the shower room and climbed back onto the bed with Jake and Earl.  
"Heh. Pancakes?"  
"Yeah. Pancakes."  
Jake giggled. "Uh-huh. Pancakes."  
"Earl, you know you still got the blindfold on?"  
"Mmhmm. I kinda like it. Wake me in time for dinner." 

Earl fell asleep quickly with his head on Jake's shoulder and Marcus spooned against his back. Jake kissed his forehead and reached past him to stroke Marcus's face.  
"You okay, Marcus?"  
"Mm yeah. Needed to leave the room. Was getting... y'know. Whatever."  
"Were you okay up to that point?"  
"Yep. Blindfold helped. Heh..."  
"What?"  
"Accidentally rubbing up against Earl's leg was weird."  
"Huh. Can we talk more? Later? After dinner maybe?"  
Marcus reached over Earl to ruffle Jake's hair and pretended to fall asleep. 

Marcus and Earl woke up when Jake came to tell them dinner was ready. Marcus laughed at the stripes on Earl's face from the fabric blindfold.  
"I fell asleep so fast, Marcus. Were you okay? I really liked what you were doing to my foot and my knee. Uh, I accidentally broke your no-touch zone rules. Sorry, I was a little preoccupied."  
"Heh. Couldn't talk with your mouth full?"  
Earl grinned. "Yeah."  
"It's okay. I had a nice shower."  
"Oh? Can I ask you something real personal?" Marcus shrugged and nodded. "What do you think about when you jerk off in the shower?"  
Marcus laughed. "Earl, I let my mind wander. Sometimes I imagine watching you and him. Sometimes it's pretty random. Usually I just think about, y'know, jerking off in the shower. Can I ask you something in return?" Earl nodded. "What is it that, when you see Jake, makes you think _wanna fuck that?"_  
"Uh? Umm... Marcus I don't know how to explain. It's a feeling, like wanting to touch but knowing that touching makes me feel it more. It's like... umm... knowing he can turn me on with the right look or the right tone of voice. If I see him unexpectedly it's like a buzz, only nice because I know he feels it too. Ugh, this is all nowhere near what it feels like. Sorry."  
"Oh. Does it bother you that I don't feel it?"  
"No. It would be nice if you did but you don't and that's fine. Does it bother you?"  
"Heh. Sometimes wonder if I'm missing out. Jake wanted to _talk more_ after dinner."  
Earl rolled his eyes and kissed Marcus. "Uh, Marcus, does bother you that I do feel attracted to you? That sometimes I have to remind myself you're not up for it?"  
Marcus frowned. "I worry that you'll leave eventually."  
"Marcus, look at me." Marcus allowed Earl to stroke his face and cup his jaw. "Being around you makes me happy. Jake worships you. If I ever leave you pair of dumbasses, it won't be because of sex." 

They ate in Jake's apartment, crowded around his little table. Earl cleared up. He joined Marcus and Jake once the kitchen corner was clean.  
"Marcus said you wanted to talk."  
"Yeah. I wondered if we should talk about some of our _maybes_ and conditions for... stuff. I want to know what you would each _like_ to do or have done to you and I can plan something."  
"Jake, you know I don't wanna know when you wanna play next. I don't want details of what you're gonna tell me to do either."  
"No, no Marcus, just want to turn general maybes on the questionnaire into specifics. No planning. Maybe I should talk to you each separately?"  
Earl grinned, got up, kissed each of them. "I'm going to the Furnace to deal with the charring in the bathroom. Come get me when you're done."  
Jake turned to Marcus. "I want to know if you're okay with this one thing you put as a maybe." Jake unfolded the form and flattened it, tapping a sentence in red ink. Marcus grinned.  
"Heh. That. You in a fit state to find out? Wanna play patient to my doctor?"  
"Uh, combined with this one thing I'd be doing with Earl at the same time." Jake tapped a different part of the form with a blue tick, a purple tick and a red X.  
"Oh. Huh. Combinations are a whole different matter, Jake. Uh. I guess still a _maybe_ or whatever. Don't plan to tell me to do that."  
"Okay, that's what I need to know."  
"And, Jake?"  
"Mmm?"  
"Do whatever you want with Earl for a while. Y'know, the two of you. Discreetly. It's been an active couple days."  
Jake smiled, sat on Marcus's lap and hugged him.  
"What _ever_ you say, Marcus."


	8. The real deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marcus reveals how he intends to look out for his boys, there's a dragon to hide if a suitable diversion happens and Earl develops a new recipe.

After the all-clear from Valentines Day, Earl reopened the restaurant with a brand new menu and a new look. He nagged Marcus about marketing it under a celebrity name but Marcus shrugged, said he was working on it and pointed out that few celebrity chefs had even heard of Night Vale, never mind expressed interest in moving here. For now, it was a solid enough investment, turning sufficient profit for Marcus not to have to use undue persuasion to get diners in.  
Earl also packed up his belongings and moved into _The Furnace_. His old room remained vacant. Jake took over organising Earl's shifts for him and made sure he had a ride home when he needed it. The first time Earl got home in the small hours, he snuck past Jake's apartment, crept by the stairs that led to Marcus's rooms and slept alone. The second night he tried the same tactic and found his bed occupied. 

"Jake?"  
"Nnnngh."  
"Jake!"  
"Umph... uh... what?"  
"Why is there a dragon in my bed?"  
"Mmmmf 'morrow."  
Earl slid under the covers beside Jake. "Hey, why are you here and not snuggling up to Marcus?"  
"Uuurgh... stuff. C'mere." 

Earl lay awake listening to Jake snore for a while then got up and went upstairs. He let himself in quietly and found Marcus playing video games in his living room.  
"You're still up! There's a dragon in my bed."  
"Hmm. Yeah. Hiram got outta jail. Had to put him somewhere safe. Sorry."  
"Oh. A text would've been nice. I nearly got into bed with him."  
"Heh!"  
"So you okay? With Jake?"  
Marcus shrugged. "Whatever."  
Earl sat beside Marcus and draped an arm around him. "You gonna tell me what happened?" 

Marcus quit his game and shut down the system. He leaned into Earl.  
"We disagree about how to deal with Hiram. Jake thinks it's too dangerous to let him stay and I should turn him in, says he can get me a good deal. Not gonna happen."  
Earl hugged Marcus, stroked his hair and kissed his head. "Hiram's more than just a drinking buddy, isn't he? I'm glad he's safe here. You know about his desert bolthole, don't you?" Marcus nodded. "I can get the scouts to help when he needs to move. I assume his release from custody wasn't through official channels?"  
Marcus laughed. "Heh, no, it was through the wall of the cell block. Can the scouts be trusted?"  
Earl froze. "Marcus, they're _scouts._ I have two almost at Eternal Scout rank, the first local boys ever to reach that level of commitment. Of course my boys can be trusted!"  
Marcus patted Earl's knee then squeezed it gently. "Sorry. Sleep?"  
"Yeah."  
"Mmm. Ugh my hips have seized. Help me up?"  
Earl picked Marcus up and carried him to bed. 

Jake woke early, reached out and found a cold indentation where Earl had lain a few hours earlier. He made coffee, poured three cups, sighed, rolled his eyes, tutted and put the coffee machine back on. Jake walked to the Furnace Room, knocked on the door and left a tray with five cups outside. The other three he took upstairs. Marcus answered the door.  
"Mmm coffee! Y'don't have to knock, y'know."  
"Hands full. Earl up?"  
"Heh. No. We were up late. Talking about... whatever."  
"Yeah. Earl worked for Hiram for a while. I take it Hiram stays?"  
"Yep."  
"How long?"  
Marcus shrugged. "Dunno, until the Sheriff's Secret Police have something more distracting to deal with, then we can get him out to his lair. You're gonna be too busy to worry about Hiram's jailbreak and Earl's reputation today." Marcus suppressed a snigger. "Earl isn't worried about that so you shouldn't be either. I need you to do some discreet research into a Desert Bluffs company that keeps trying to buy bits of Vansten Industries. Hmm. StrexCorp-something-or-whatever."

Marcus's project kept Jake busy all day. He clarified first that _discreet research_ meant _poke into their business interests without attracting any attention._ Marcus used his time to discuss Hiram's situation with him in the Furnace Room. Earl joined Marcus and Hiram, only emerging to fetch food and coffee then later to attend to his duties as scoutmaster. All three met up over a very late supper.  
Marcus ruffled Jake's hair. "Whaddya find out?"  
Jake's mouth formed a tight line and he frowned.  
"Not good, Marcus. They're not registered as a Desert Bluffs company but I couldn't identify who actually controls them. I tried to buy shares _on behalf of a third party who wished to remain anonymous_ but hit a security system that asked way too many questions. Not usually a problem, right? Most people only want your money, not the name of your favourite mother and pet's date of birth."  
"Heh. Do you even know Earl's date of birth, Jakeyboy?"  
"Marcus please don't call me that! And no, I never asked. Figured if Earl wants me to know how old he is he'll tell me." Jake looked at Earl, who grinned back and shrugged. Marcus laughed.  
"Heh. Not denyin' Earl's your pet?"  
 _"Marcus!"_ Jake's voice raised in pitch and volume. "Earl, that's not what I meant!"  
Earl laughed. "Hey, you know I don't mind. Back to the point?"  
"Okay, this company has been taking over small businesses and quietly buying up property in Night Vale. Marcus, they operate under a few different names. Can you authorise your accounts department to let me see your business transactions from the last six months? You might have dealt with one of their subsidiaries without realising."  
Marcus nodded. "Heh. They'd have a hard time buying shares in Vansten Industries. There are only five shareholders."  
Jake frowned. "Five? I thought it was only you. Who are the other four?" 

Marcus frowned then relaxed. "Whatever, you might as well know, Jake you'll see dividend payouts in my accounts and figure it out anyway. They each have, like five percent. Hiram and I did a deal to get him out of a little problem involving monopolies, legally speaking we're in competition with each other in the fire insurance market. Josie took out a share option when she invested in me at the get-go, said she could see my potential or whatever. And, mmm yeah, two people who don't know about it yet but might need, umm, _looked after_ or whatever. Y'know, if anything--"  
Earl lifted Marcus's chin and stared into his eyes. "Marcus, have you set up accounts for Jake and me?"  
"Might've. 'S all legal and above board. Y'know, _bona fide_ or whatever. I can't marry you both but I want to make sure you're, y'know, provided for. Later on. When, umm..."  
Jake and Earl stared at each other, both calculating silently and allowing their eyebrows to rise with the figures in their heads. Earl took Marcus's hand. "Doing that and not telling us is probably the most romantic thing you have ever done. Certainly better than firing Jake. Thank you, Marcus. But, uh... I kinda wish I still didn't know." Jake nodded as he reached over the table to take Marcus's other hand.  
"Heh. There are a coupla less romantic riders on it. The lawyers wouldn't stop barking until I added clauses to prevent you from, y'know, claiming prematurely. Heh." 

Jake yawned. "Before I fall asleep, what's happening with Hiram?"  
"Mmm yeah. Earl, you get that thing organised?"  
"Yes. Bart and Frankie are ready to act as soon as we need them. Just gotta wait for a suitably devastating event that will keep the SSP out of our way. Shouldn't be more than, what, couple weeks in this town?"  
Marcus snorted. "That long, heh?"  
Jake rolled his eyes. "Can he go sooner? Can't he be smuggled out in one of the service vans?"  
Marcus shook his head. "Mmm nope. The SSP are stopping and searching too many vehicles. You used up your favours getting him transferred to the timber-built cell block and someone made a link to me. We're all probably being watched." Jake scowled. Marcus frowned at him. "Why do you hate Hiram so much?"  
"I don't, not all of him. I don't like the way his grey head looks at Earl. I hate the way violet head speaks to you. And green... ugh. I guess blue and gold are okay. Is this where you both tell me I just don't understand him?"  
Earl and Marcus exchanged a look. Earl smiled. "No, I think you've got him about right. Except grey head isn't interested in me, if you're implying what I think you are. Hiram's... uh... not into any of that." 

Marcus was right, it was much less than two weeks before a diversion kept the police busy. Earl signalled his two top scouts to check out their route out of town. Bart called back to report that the Sheriff's Secret Police were busy dealing with _"...some weird-ass sandstorm that makes people turn into copies of themselves and fight, man, I mean scoutmaster Harlan, Frankie killed his double right in my yard. It was so cool! I got to shelter in time cuz mom called me in after she heard a warning on the radio."_  
Marcus got Hiram out of the Furnace Room while Jake brought round their best unmarked truck. Hiram clambered into the back, complaining about the lack of space. Marcus opened the passenger side and climbed in.  
"Heh. Drive."  
"Marcus, you stay here and cause a scene if you hear anything from Earl. I'll get Hiram clear, I promise.  
Marcus nodded and squeezed Jake's leg. "Mmm guess that makes sense. Be, umm, careful. Whatever."  
Jake grinned. "Sure I will."  
 _ **"Oh get on with it! I have a lair and buried treasure to get back home to and my necks are killing me after a week in your stupid HUMAN bed! How your species survives being so pathetically soft escapes my understanding completely."**_  
Marcus got out and banged on the side of the vehicle, grinning. "Heh. Nice seeing you again too, Violet!" 

Jake drove Hiram out to the desert, grateful for the sullen silence from the back of the truck. Once well clear of town, Hiram instructed Jake to stop and let him out.  
 **"It's nothin' personal y'understand, don'cha? Ah require mah privacy. Yer boss knows where Ah live and Earl worked it out but they're sworn to secrecy or--"** Hiram stopped and belched flame. Jake nodded and shrugged.  
"Sure. Whatever you want, mister McDaniels."  
Jake backed the truck away from the dragon and turned. A mile back toward town he picked up Earl at the roadside. Earl jumped in almost before the truck stopped.  
"Delivered?"  
"Kinda, dropped him off back there, he doesn't want me to know where he lives."  
Earl rolled his eyes. "Did he do that little snort of flame from his green head?" Jake nodded. "Good, green's his show-off head, means he wanted to impress you. If his gold head does it, you're toast. Blue would silently calculate the odds of you stealing his treasure and eat you if he didn't like the answer."  
Jake shuddered. "Glad he's gone. Grey gives me the creeps a bit and Violet was sulking."  
Earl laughed. "Aww, grey head is okay. Come on, before we go home I want to see this sandstorm. Barty said it's still blowing on the far side of town. Hope Marcus is okay, there is no phone signal right now." 

Earl and Jake looked at each other.  
"Jake, Marcus would stay indoors, right?"  
"Yeah. He doesn't go out unless there's a profit or a nice restaurant or a new club to be seen at with a couple of escorts. Right?"  
"Right. He wouldn't go out in a sandstorm."  
"Unless he thought it might double his profits."  
"Ha!"  
"Earl, can we just..."  
"...swing by Vansten Mansion and make sure there's only one Marcus?"

Marcus scowled and struggled.  
"Look, Jake, enough. This game is fun but please untie me now."  
"Not yet. I'll apologise profusely and do whatever it takes to make it up to you, but you're staying right there for now." Jake left the apartment and headed upstairs. He met Earl halfway.  
"Any luck, scout?"  
"Not so far. What about you?"  
"Got my suspicions but need more information. Swap?"  
"Yeah."  
Jake continued upstairs and into Marcus's rooms. He went into the study and looked at the bound form on the leather and gold swivel chair.  
"Jake! Thank the glowcloud. Untie me, I think Earl's gone mad."  
"Marcus, I'm not going to do that until I know which Marcus you are. Meanwhile, look at you all tied up. You gonna be good?" Jake knelt down and unfastened Marcus's belt, waiting for just one word. 

Earl interrogated Marcus, or his double, downstairs. He asked the same questions as he had asked Marcus, or his double, upstairs.  
"Why did you go out into the sandstorm?"  
"I don't know. I felt compelled to go out and feel the sand for myself."  
 _Heh, dunno, whatever._  
"Why did you attack your double?"  
"I didn't! I gave him a hug and offered to help him put the blown over planters upright again. Please untie me."  
 _What? Because the fucking asshole tried to hit me upside the head with a fucking flowerpot! Can you imagine it? Local billionaire killed by blow from petunia? If I'm gonna die by being blown by Petunia, he better be worth his agency fee. Now, are you fucking morons going to free me so I can personally kick your sorry asses out?_  
Jake and Earl met on the stairs again. They nodded at each other. Jake raised an eyebrow. "Y'know, for doubles they're surprisingly different. I think he's the real one." Jake pointed upstairs.  
Earl nodded. "I agree. The way they speak gives it away. What is your evidence?"  
Jake went red. "Yeah, that. Definitely that."  
"Ja-a-a-ke? What did you do?"  
"Okay, look, please bear in mind that at first I was convinced that downstairs Marcus was the real one."  
Earl laughed. "Oh glowing cloud, Jake, did you come on to them both and decide to keep the one who looked like a rabbit in headlights on Route 800 and shouted _bankrupt!_ at you?"  
Jake shrugged. "Might've. You sure we can't keep them both?" 

They headed upstairs and into Marcus's study.  
"Heh. You here to finish the job you offered?"  
Earl cut the curtain cord he had used to bind Marcus's hands and feet. Marcus rubbed his joints. Jake blushed. "Marcus, I had to find any way he was different from you. I'm sorry."  
"Heh. You stopped when I said my word but I wish you'd untied me sooner. Someone gonna run me a hot bath? Ease these aching... FUCK! JAKE! Did you do the same with my double? _Did HE stop you?"_  
Jake was already halfway out the room. He called back, "Just gonna run that bath for you, Mr Vansten, sir."  
Earl looked everywhere except at Marcus. Marcus stared at Earl's face.  
"So how did YOU decide I'm the real deal, heh?"  
"Marcus, your double suffers from tact and deference towards his captors. Uh, what do you want to do with him?"  
"Heh. Shame Hiram isn't still here. He's good, y'know, with disposal." Earl kissed Marcus, stroked his face and left. 

Earl entered Jake's apartment where Marcus's double still sat tied to a kitchen chair. He locked them both in. Chef Harlan chose his best knife to cut through the cable ties that held the man.  
"You hungry? Need a shower?"  
Marcus's double rubbed his wrists and nodded.  
"Mmm a shower. Get this sand out. Can you find me a clean towel and some clothes?"  
Earl nodded. "Sure. Go ahead, I'll start dinner."  
Scoutmaster Harlan waited until he heard the hiss of the shower. He walked to the bedroom, undressed quickly, picked up his knife and joined the man in the shower. 

Earl finished his shower. It took a while. By the time he joined Marcus and Jake they had made up, agreed that one would not ask and the other would not tell. Both stared at Earl.  
"What?"  
Jake grinned. "Just never noticed it before."  
Marcus sniggered. "Heh. Mmm yep. You look really good in uniform."  
Earl laughed. "Really. Want me to keep it on?"  
Jake shook his head. "Nope. I insist you take it off."  
"Heh. Yep. Slowly. After dinner. Watcha making? Smells interesting."  
Earl grinned. "Oh, that's for tomorrow, enough for all the staff if you want to host a barbecue, Marcus. Pulled pork." 


	9. Eternal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a ceremony to prepare for. But before that, Marcus wants to be a little more interactive to try to please.
> 
> Earl goes to see an old friend before the ceremony. Marcus and Jake listen to the radio reports.
> 
> It does not end well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gratuitous porn alert.

[Music](http://youtu.be/gaPy7zcNhDE)  played from the living room. "You comfortable?"  
"Mm-hmm. Heh. You got to do this?"  
"Need practice. Thanks for agreeing to it." Earl ruffled Marcus's hair, sat on his lap and kissed him. Jake _ahem_ -ed. "What about me?"  
Earl turned his head and smiled. He kissed Marcus again, got up and checked Jake's circulation by pressing on his fingernails and toenails. "You're fine, Jake. Be patient or I'll gag you."  
"Do I get a thank you kiss?"  
Earl kissed Jake. "Thank you too. Can you get free?"  
"No."  
"Mmm. Nope."  
"Good. I will use those knots for the ceremony. Of course, my scouts will be in full dress uniform and sitting in bloodstone circles. Now Marcus, what was it you said you'd like me do to Jake?"

Marcus laughed. "Won't be a surprise for him if I say."  
Earl grinned. He knelt in front of Jake with a hand on each knee, resting. "Jake, you trust me?"  
"Yeah. How does it feel being the one in charge?"  
Earl kissed Jake again, produced a blindfold from his pocket and put it on Jake.  
"Good so far. We can debrief later. Marcus, you sure you're okay? You won't be able to leave the room if--"  
"I'll warn you. Heh. Earl? The other thing I said I might want you to do, y'know, just this once cos I can't?" Earl nodded. "Do that now, don't wanna break the mood later."  
Earl nodded again. He produced two condoms from another pocket. Earl crouched over Jake, licked his cock until Jake gasped and giggled, and put a condom on him before kneeling in front of Marcus. "Ready?"  
"Just do it. Don't mess around." Marcus closed his eyes tight and held his breath. Earl stroked Marcus into a full erection with the back of his fingers and put a condom on him as gently as he could. Marcus let his breath out in one long hiss.  
"Okay?"  
Marcus nodded. Earl stroked his face and kissed him again, his lips, his jaw, his neck and along his collarbones until Jake complained.

"Jake, be patient. You know what I will do if you whine."  
Jake nodded.  
"I can't hear you, Jake."  
"Sorry, scoutmaster."  
"Don't call me that here! Ugh! It's freaky! Right, no more talking from you. Open your mouth."  
Jake relaxed his jaw and allowed Earl to gag him. Earl frowned. "You know what to do, Jake?" Jake nodded, leaned forwards slightly and slapped his feet on the floor once.  
"Good. Okay, Marcus? No cramp?"  
"Heh. Yep. Fine."  
Earl stepped back. Marcus sat on a dining chair with his wrists bound to the chair back where it joined the seat and his ankles tied to the front legs. A thick cord passed twice around his chest, under his arms, around the seat back and secured behind him. Jake, blindfolded and gagged, knelt on the floor with his wrists and ankles secured behind him. Earl grinned and shook his head. He turned to face Marcus and unbuttoned his shirt, letting it slip off his shoulders.

"Mmm, closer, yep?"  
"You are in no position to issue instructions, Marcus." Earl let his shirt fall to the floor and unfastened his shorts. He eased them over his thighs until they fell to the floor and he could step out. Marcus sniggered. Earl blushed. "Yeah I didn't plan this. If you want lingerie you need to give me more warning." He quickly removed his _Wolverine_ boxers and kicked his clothing out of the way before standing in front of Marcus. "Mmm. You want to touch?"  
Marcus nodded, staring at Earl's scarred torso. Earl straddled Marcus's lap, holding on to the chair back, keeping part of his weight supported by feet planted flat on the floor either side of Marcus's chair. "Go ahead, anything you can reach.  
Marcus reached his head forward as far as he could. Earl moved so that he was always slightly too far away. Earl rested a little more weight on Marcus. "Okay?" Marcus nodded. Earl combed both hands through Marcus's hair, pausing to hold his head still for a lingering kiss that made Marcus _hmmm_ in pleasure. Earl trailed his fingers from Marcus's head to his neck and shoulders, down his chest, stopping to feel the tightness of the restraints and circle slowly around Marcus's nipples. Marcus sucked in a breath and let it out slowly.  
"You turned on, Marcus?" Marcus nodded. "Want me to stop?" Marcus shook his head. "Shame Jake can't see how lovely you are when you want it. You thinking about touching yourself?" Marcus closed his eyes and dipped his head twice. Earl smiled. "You thinking about what I'm going to do to our beautiful Jake?" Marcus smiled and nodded again. Earl kissed Marcus and stood up. Marcus leaned forward again and bit Earl's stomach. Earl laughed and hopped backwards. "Gonna play with Jake for a while. You sit tight."

Earl stroked Jake's face. "You okay?" Jake nodded. Earl unfastened Jake's gag and removed it. He wiped Jake's mouth. "No complaining. Got it?" Jake nodded and Earl kissed his forehead above the blindfold and the corners of his mouth. "You need that lovely mouth of yours. Can you guess what for?" Jake grinned and winced. Earl knelt in front of Jake, rubbed a finger over Jake's lips and suppressed a whimper as Jake sucked his index finger into his mouth.  
Earl pulled his hand away from Jake's face, wrapped it round the back of his head and kissed him with hunger. He guided Jake up against his body, stroked his free hand across Jake's back, down to his ass and pulled them together, feeling Jake stiffen and grind. Earl shuffled back and stood up, cupping Jake's chin.  
"Don't move." Earl found his shorts and rummaged in the pockets for another condom. He stole a glance at Marcus as he put it on. Marcus stared at Jake, letting his eyes wander up and down his form. He was smiling.  
"Mmm Jake is lovely, isn't he? You want to touch him? kiss him?" Marcus nodded. "You can't yet. Want to watch me touch Jake instead?" Marcus nodded again. Earl walked behind Jake, guided him into position facing Marcus's side. "Jake, if you lean forward you will find Marcus." Jake leaned his head onto Marcus's thigh. He nuzzled down to Marcus's knee and back up again until Earl put a hand on his shoulder. "Okay. Back a bit... around... stop."  
Jake knelt in front of Marcus. Earl stood in front of Jake. He guided Jake's head with one finger under his chin, crouched down to kiss him. "What else can you do with that clever mouth? Hmm?" Jake grinned. Earl pulled another chair over close to Jake, perched on it and gripped a fist into Jake's hair, making him try to pull away.  
"Oh! Okay?" Earl loosened his grip a little. Jake thumped the floor once. Earl gripped tight again and pushed Jake's head into his lap. He loosened his grip again as Jake explored Earl's lap with lips and tongue until he found the head of Earl's penis and took it into his mouth, flicking a soft tongue around it and pulling a moan out of Earl that made Marcus twitch. Earl gripped the seat back behind him and hooked his ankles around the chair legs as Jake slowly worked him up.

"Fuck! Aaah fuckfuckfuckfuckJake." Earl held Jake's head and pulled himself back. "Shit you're good at that. Mmhmm. Uh such a shame to stop you there."  
"Heh."  
Jake grinned and Earl kissed him, sliding off the chair. "Marcus?"  
"Mmm yep. Plan B."  
"Ooh? You sure?"  
"Yep." Marcus nodded. Earl untied Marcus and rubbed his ankles and wrists. Marcus got up and walked around for a moment, left the room. Earl put a hand on Jake's head, leaned over and kissed around his ear, murmuring to him. _Mmm wonder what Marcus wants to do? You thinking about Marcus touching you while you blow me? What if he wants to help you out while I fuck you? Mmm? What else would you like him to do to you, hmm?_  
Marcus came back a few minutes later carrying a box, settled on the floor next to Jake. He shrugged and smiled at Earl's raised eyebrow when he noticed that Marcus no longer wore a condom. Earl knelt in front of Jake.  
"You okay, Jake?"  
"Hell, yes."  
Earl got back onto his chair, gripped Jake's hair and guided his head back into position, Jake shuffled his knees out a little for comfort and got to work on making Earl moan. Marcus put on a pair of surgical gloves from the box, pumped some lube onto his gloved fingers and stroked lightly around Jake's entrance. He pushed one finger just inside.  
Jake stopped. "U-u-uh Marcus?"  
"Heh. Want me not to?" He stroked a second finger just beside the first, wiggling it across the outer ring of muscle  
"No! I mean yes! Want AAAH! yes, that, I want what you're doing." Marcus pushed both fingers in farther and rotated his hand slowly.  
"Heh. Don't talk with your mouth full."  
Jake returned his attention to Earl. Earl unclasped one hand from the chair back to stroke Jake's head and guide him to a faster pace. Earl came, arching backwards and swearing. Jake rested his forehead on Earl's thigh, pushing back onto Marcus's hand. Earl stood up after a moment, pushed the chair away, lay on his back and pulled Jake over him, hands supporting Jake's hips and Jake's head on his stomach. He mouthed at Jake's cock while watching Marcus finger him. Jake came with heaving breath, his cock in Earl's mouth, Marcus's fingers teasing him, biting at Earl's stomach.

Earl tipped Jake over sideways, rolled to his knees, cut Jake's restraints, peeled Marcus's gloves off him, wrapped both men in robes and cleaned up. He carried Jake through to the living room and put him on the sofa. Marcus joined them a few minutes later.  
"Heh. Brought stuff."  
"Ooh! Tea? Mmm."  
Jake took a cup and sat back with his feet under him. Earl sipped at his, Marcus warmed his hands on the cup then stroked Jake's face.  
"Did I... uh... did I... y'know, do okay?"  
Jake grinned and kissed Marcus. "Mm-hmm. You two plan that without me?"  
"Heh. Not really, I told Earl I felt more hands-on or whatever. We agreed a code."  
"Yeah. Plan A, hands off. You know what plan B involved."  
Jake laughed. "Was there a plan C?"  
Earl waved the remote control. "Wanna watch shit TV for a while?"

Half an hour later Earl turned the TV off again.  
"You okay, Jake? Marcus?"  
"Yeah."  
"Yep. You?"  
"Yeah."  
Jake frowned. "You really planned stuff without me. That feels weird."  
Marcus put his nose an inch from Jake's and his hand on Jake's waist. "Really, Jakeyboy, you gonna overanalyse this?"  
"C'mon, Jake, it wasn't planned much in advance, like an hour tops. You were busy."  
"I know, I know. It's just... I guess I like being the one in control."  
Earl put his arms around Jake and pulled him into a tight hug. "That's fine, honestly I prefer not being the one making the decisions and checking that everyone is okay."  
"Heh. Plan C was to have Earl make you blow me while he fucked you. I kinda got off on the fantasy but as soon as it became possible and, like, _real_ I _so_ didn't wanna, y'know, go through with it. Is that weird?"  
Earl smiled. "It's not weird for you, Marcus."  
Marcus frowned. "I want to make you both happy. I want to be... ugh whatever." He looked away. Jake and Earl rolled their eyes at each other. Jake stroked Marcus's arm. "You want to be _what_ exactly?"  
Marcus sighed. "Dunno. A good boyfriend. Whatever that means to you."

Earl stood up. "I know what I want from my amazing boyfriends." He scooped Marcus up and carried him into the bedroom. Jake followed, smiling. Earl set Marcus on his feet and removed their robes, Jake pulled back the covers and got into bed. Earl picked Marcus up and put him in bed next to Jake then climbed in beside him. Jake snuggled closer.  
"Mmm. This is what I want now. Jake?"  
"Yes. This is what I want too. Tomorrow I might want a discussion about the relative merits of different investments or a stupid argument over which colour ties we should wear so we don't look like a matching set. Or maybe Earl and I will have some pointless disagreement and you can do that voice and say _heh, seriously? guys? Whatever. How much does it, y'know, matter?_ and we'll scowl and make up while you shower us with innuendo."  
Earl hugged tighter. Marcus wriggled a little. "Heh. I do NOT sound like that.  
Jake laughed. "Mmm yep you do. Marcus my love, you have no idea how important you are. I had such a crush, I was absolutely infatuated with you when I started working for you. Did Earl tell you what I did on our, I dunno, third time maybe?"  
Earl snorted _second!_ , Marcus laughed.  
"Heh, Jakeyboy, did you forget whose ass you were plou--"  
"Shuttup! But yeah. I might have, umm, nevermind. I thought I was in love with the person I thought you were. You are so much more than I expected, Marcus. That stupid crush wasn't real. This is real." Jake stroked Marcus's face. "I love you like I love Earl, the same way. Sex isn't part of that. Sex is great, I mean, Earl, _really_ great, but it's an extra. Not the reason I want to be with you, not any more. I pretended for way too long that we used each other for casual hookups, but every time I saw you I knew I was yours. That was so confusing, I'd call you after Marcus wound me up and... was that wrong? You're just so... so... there isn't even a word for you. You're Earl. Ah shit I'm rambling. Stop me when I do that."  
Earl laughed. "No, it's cute. Jake, that time you called me _Marcus_ I didn't mind. You always came to _me_ and that's what mattered. First couple times I looked forward to getting you into bed, later on it was _this_ I realised I wanted, the lying together afterwards part. We don't need sex to do that."  
Jake smiled, half-sat to lean over Marcus and kissed Earl. "Okay just so we're clear. We agree that we don't _need_ to have sex but we're still going to fuck each other senseless when we feel like it, right?"  
Marcus laughed. "You two need some privacy?"

Earl woke up and pretended to be asleep until he felt Jake stir. Marcus wasn't in bed. Earl snaked an arm around Jake's waist and spooned behind him.  
"Mmm morning Jake, I know you're not asleep."  
"Not anymore! Good morning. Want me to make breakfast?"  
"Dunno. Marcus is up. Think he'll make something?"  
Jake laughed. "Not a chance. Maybe coffee and Flaky-O's if we're lucky. He'd never survive in the wild. Whatcha got to do today? Do you have to go soon?"  
"Yeah. I have preparations for the eternal scout ceremony. Put the tent up out back of the Ralph's do that thing with the bloodstones. Pick up the boys for a rehearsal, they're super psyched. You know, the usual scout stuff. I thought I'd go reconnect with my radio-host school-friend, see if he remembers me. He might give us some publicity."  
"It would be cool if he'd broadcast the ceremony."  
"Nah, not allowed. It's all very secret, scouts and ex-scouts only, although there's no such thing as an ex-scout. Once picked, you're a scout for as long as you exist."  
"What? You mean Marcus and I can't be there with you?"  
"Nope. Unless you were chosen to be a scout."  
Jake shook his head. "Not me. Doubt if Marcus remembers. When I ask him about his past he goes blank."

Marcus had made coffee. They sat in his kitchen talking through their commitments. Earl risked prying. "Marcus, were you ever a scout?"  
Marcus gulped his coffee and coughed. He laughed. "Me? Are you kidding? Jake, what about you?"  
"No, not chosen. Earl, did you go through this ceremony before? Did you become an Eternal Scout?"  
Earl stared for a moment. "No, I got to Fear Scout but I just couldn't get that last badge that would have made me eligible for the ceremony. My scoutmaster said I should concentrate on scoutmaster training instead so he could retire."  
"Heh. Was he old? Is he still around so we can get stories of what Young Earl got up to?"  
"I thought he was real old at the time, but probably not. Maybe my age. After he handed over his handbook and ceremonial whistle, sash and scoutmaster badge he just kind of faded."  
"Oh. Was he ill?"  
"No, I mean literally. Right in front of me. He smiled, shook my hand, said _so long, scoutmaster_ then gradually turned transparent until he wasn't there any more."  
Jake glared. "Any keen young scouts snapping at your heels?"  
Earl frowned and shook his head. "No. There should be by now but nobody has come forward yet with their prophecy certification. I should be training my replacement and I am not. It worries me a little. I can't be scoutmaster forever."  
"Maybe you're, y'know, the eternal scoutmaster. After the ceremony."  
"I don't think it works like that." Earl laughed. "I did some research into how to do the ceremony correctly because I have never been to one before. There are chants and stuff to summon the spirits of past scouts, if you believe in all that. Bart and Frankie will be scouts for all eternity but there's no reflected glory."

Marcus sat back in his chair. "So, Earl, tell us about your old school friend the radio man."  
"There's nothing to tell! We were childhood friends. He was a terrible scout and I helped him out with his badges. We looked out for each other. Did best friend stuff like sleepovers, swapping meteorology charts, ordinary stuff. Stupid teenage stuff. Like... like styling each other's hair, practising kissing and... what?"  
Jake grinned. "Earl, you went to your school prom, right? Who did you take?"  
"Uh? Cecil. Neither of us had dates so we asked each other."  
Marcus grinned too. "So on these sleepovers you, mmm, shared a room?"  
"A tent and a sleeping bag usually, we'd camp out in Cecil's yard or hike out to the sand wastes and have a campfire. Why carry more than you need?"  
"Sure. Whatever. And you ever get curious about, y'know, anatomy?"  
"Well, yeah, but doesn't everybody want to explore?"  
"Specifically exploring _his_ anatomy and investigating how it might fit _yours?"_  
Jake took Earl's hand. "Um, Earl, did you ever consider that maybe Cecil was your boyfriend?"  
"What? No! No way. We were just friends! Friends who held hands and hugged and kissed because that's what best friends do, and sometimes if one of us was upset or stressed out we'd... oh. Oh! That, um, that explains a few things. Shit, meeting up with him again is going to be weird now. Thanks. Thanks so much." Earl left the room. Jake and Marcus avoided eye contact with each other for as long as possible but Marcus couldn't suppress his giggles.

Marcus recovered his composure and went in search of the scoutmaster. He was in the bedroom.  
"Mmm yep, I do like a man in uniform." Marcus watched Earl put on his scoutmaster uniform. "Specifically this man." He walked up to Earl and straightened his scarf, "in this uniform."  
Earl put his arms around Marcus's shoulders and leaned their foreheads together.  
"You really think Cecil was my boyfriend? We never said it or anything so I didn't know."  
"Heh. What do you think?"  
"I think it doesn't matter. It was so long ago."  
"Mmm. Sensible." Marcus hugged Earl tighter and kissed his cheek. "I gotta go to the office in town in a while but I want Jake to stay with you today until you're ready for the ceremony."  
"Marcus, no, he'll piss me off by telling me how to organise everything better. Take him to work with you. You need him more than I do. I'll be fine." Earl kissed Marcus, a light touch on his lips. "But thank you."  
"Okay if you're sure. Be careful, Earl."

Marcus led Earl out of the bedroom and back to the kitchen. "Jake! Can't send Earl out to do an important ceremony on just coffee. What can you do for him? I gotta make some calls about... five friends."  
Jake sighed. "Be careful Marcus, if you're discussing, um, local politics, you better use the scrambled line. Press the purple button on your desk phone and wait for the double beep."  
Marcus nodded and left the room. Jake looked Earl up and down and whistled. "Very smart! He'll be busy for at least half an hour. How long have you got? We can go downstairs and I can make us some rice flour and almond pancakes or we can go downstairs and I'll iron your uniform again for you."  
"But my uniform doesn't need ironed," Earl protested. "I did a pretty decent job of it myself."  
Jake leered at him. "Oh? Let's see what I can do about that."  
Earl sniggered. "That what you think Marcus meant by _what can you do for him?"_  
Jake shrugged. "Wanna?"  
"Yeah." Earl took Jake's hand and led him downstairs.

Later, Jake drove Marcus into town while Earl took the Land Rover to collect his scout leaders and finish setting up for their ceremony. In the office, Jake kept the radio on real quiet, listening out for any mention of Earl. When the odd local news show came on, Jake carried the radio through to Marcus's office, closed the door and they sat on the sofa to listen.  
"Oh poor Earl! Sounds like he's having a tough day, going to need looked after later. Marcus, can I go pick him up after it's all finished?"  
Marcus nodded. "We'll both go. I should be seen, y'know, supporting local organisations like the scouts. Good for my political image or whatever. You think we should go down there now?"  
Jake sighed. "No. He wants this for himself. If you show up people will be more interested in what you're doing than Earl's ceremony."  
"Heh. Guess you're right." Marcus groaned at the radio presenter's description of Earl's word to him. "I wish we hadn't said anything about that _best friends_ bullshit."  
"Yeah. It's bad enough being in competition with one local celebrity. Couldn't deal with two."  
Marcus laughed. "Aw, you a little jealous, sweetheart?"  
Jake shrugged. "Can't help it. You two--"  
"What the fuck! Jake!" Marcus half stood, pointing at the group of silent children who were standing, staring. "How did they get in?"  
Jake put a hand on Marcus's thigh, encouraging him back onto the sofa. He turned up the radio.  
The silent children attacked.

They were small, underfed, but there were many of them. Jake wrestled them off, shook his limbs free and started pulling the silent, clutching, creatures off Marcus. Marcus was on the floor in front of the sofa, two figures dragging him towards the door, four more trying to lift his feet and hips as others attempted to form a perimeter around their companions. In the absence of anything to throw as a weapon, Jake threw himself at the group, breaking through the protective circle and bringing down the children grasping Marcus's left side.  
As silently as they arrived, the mute childlike figures melted into nothingness. Marcus and Jake lay on the floor, breathing heavily and holding on to each other in an equal mix of confusion, fear and relief.  
The radio played on.

\-----------------------

Marcus followed Jake into the burlap tent, holding his breath at first against the stench of burning. Two statues of teenagers in perfect scout dress uniforms stood at the centre of the tent, inside what must have been a bloodstone circle but now resembled a hearth with charred stones, half-consumed timbers and the remains of a sacrifice scattered amongst the cold charcoal. Jake looked up, the tent above the Eternal Scouts was not even discoloured by the inferno.  
Marcus edged closer to Jake. "Can you see him? I can't see him."  
Jake took Marcus's hands in both of his. "Marcus, I have to look more closely. You don't have to do this. You can wait outside with the survivors if you want."  
"No! If one of those is my Earl," Marcus pointed to the bodies strewn on the floor, heads all aligned towards the centre of the fire, "I want to see him for myself. Make sure he's looked after."  
Jake nodded. "Okay. Mmm. Okay."  
Together they examined every limp, terrified form, faces frozen in incomprehension, until they were certain Earl was not amongst the dead. They exited the tent and Jake waved the Sheriff's Secret Police in.

Much later, stunned and unable to make sense of anything they had heard or seen, Marcus and Jake searched for explanations.  
_Earl made a mistake. How dare you say that, Earl wouldn't make a mistake like that._  
_He's alive but taken somewhere, lost. He'll find his way back._  
_He's been killed. There's no body, we can't assume anything._  
...  
When they ran out of theories, they sat in silence until it got dark around them.


	10. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Earl is gone.  
> Marcus and Jake have to deal with it in their own ways.

Jake woke up cold and numb at four in the morning. He sprawled on the sofa with Marcus leaning against him, snoring softly. He shook Marcus's shoulder until Marcus snorted and groaned.  
"Let's get into bed for a few hours. Everyone who owes us favours is looking out for Earl and the scout leaders are doing things with bloodstones I never thought possible. Nobody has called yet but someone will I'm sure. Or he'll just turn up and say _huh, got a bit carried away_ or some other lame joke." Jake stroked Marcus's face.  
"Mmm that's what I keep telling myself too." Marcus struggled to his feet, scratched and stretched and winced. Jake stood beside him.  
"Is it your back? Here." Jake ducked to put Marcus's arm over his shoulder and supported him with an arm around his waist.  
"No waitwaitwait I got this. Just need a minute."  
Jake stood back and waited. Marcus took Jake's offer of help after all and they shuffled to bed.

Jake checked his phone every time he woke, which was often. By eight he couldn't stay in bed any longer. Marcus was in his office, making phone calls.  
"Any news?"  
"Mmm nope. Nothing."  
"Shit. I thought we'd get up and find him here. You checked the Furnace Room?"  
"Yep, empty."  
Jake sat on the chair opposite Marcus's chrome and ebony desk.  
"He's a scout. He can handle himself."  
"Yep. Coffee?"

Reports came in throughout the days after the disastrously successful ceremony. Witness statements from surviving scouts, stories from people who fought off the mute children and interviews with the families of people who were transported into the tent. Marcus and Jake read and listened, and over the next couple of weeks they arranged to see key witnesses to ask their own questions. Jake took notes, Marcus sat fixed in concentration between his questions, focusing with intensity on the interviewees, observing body language and facial expressions to supplement their words.  
Eventually, he and Jake were ready to compare notes and piece together a sequence of events that made sense.

"Earl is not dead. Probably." Jake looked at Marcus for any sign of confirmation.  
Marcus closed his eyes and dropped his chin to his chest. "Jake, take me through your reasoning again. Slowly. From the beginning."  
Jake nodded and shuffled his notes into order. "Okay, want anything before I begin? Tea maybe?" Marcus shook his head. "Here is what I think happened. Ready?"

"Earl was nervous about the ceremony. We know that, he didn't tell us much about it but he was apprehensive, evasive, like he knew something and didn't want to talk about it. I thought we'd get it out of him after the ceremony. He usually tells us stuff a couple of days later. Okay. He went to see his friend, the man from the radio, and it sounded like he was saying goodbye. I think Earl knew something like this might happen. But he's a dutiful scoutmaster and probably thought he could face whatever it was. Especially with the whole troop to help out.  
"The ceremony started earlier than expected when the summoning of scouts past went more quickly than Earl anticipated. He had three spare sacrificial animals in reserve. We know he took five so it must have worked on the second attempt. Franklin's cousin said that someone, he didn't recognise who, walked over the bloodstone circle around Earl and might have kicked a stone out of place.  
"It looks like the following things all happened together. One, there was a flash of light that disorientated everyone and scorched the ground. Two, a strange, deep red, cool fire started in the central bloodstone circle containing Frankie and Bart, consuming everything except the two Eternal Scouts. Three, those mute child figures appeared in the tent and all over town, lots of them near the tent and fewer farther away.  
"The figures stayed still for about a minute. Outside the Ralph's, Franklin's uncle, waiting in his car for his son and nephew to emerge, said he saw the figures appear. They were suddenly just _there_ where before had been only air. There was no sound, no gradual materialisation, he said it was like switching on a lamp. Inside the tent, Earl completed the final set of chants and the figures began to move, grasping at people and carrying them into the cold, red fire."

Jake stopped.  
Marcus looked up. "Finish the story, Jake, I need to hear the ending."  
Jake nodded, mouth tight and eyes wet. He sniffed and cleared his throat.  
"Two of the Fear Scouts joined their scoutmaster to help him fight off the figures that surrounded him. One of the younger boys, an Eagle Scout, said that there were at least ten of the figures when the Fear Scouts went to help, and more joined in. The Fear Scouts and Earl were all lifted off the ground and carried into the red flames by the mute childlike figures. After Earl disappeared from view, the Eagle Scout claims he could still hear Earl shouting orders to the Fear Scouts, telling them not to be afraid and to remember their training."

"So. He was definitely taken."  
"Yes."  
"And he might be alive."  
"Yes."  
"And we have no way of knowing where he is, whether he really is still alive and if he will come back."  
"That sums it up, Marcus."  
Marcus got up. "I have to call Josie."

Jake put his notes neatly on Marcus's desk and left him alone with his phone call. Jake's hand trembled but Marcus had his back to Jake and did not see. Jake backed out and closed the door. He went to the bedroom, undressed and got into bed, head on the pillow Earl normally used. He buried his face in it, as he had done for the past few nights while Marcus held him. Exhausted from nights awake, Jake fell asleep.

He woke up with Marcus wrapped around him.  
"Heh, glad you slept." Marcus stroked Jake's arm. Jake tried to sit up but Marcus held him. "Stay. You were only asleep for about an hour."  
"Did you get hold of Josie?"  
"Mmm. She can't get Earl back for us, says he's _out of reach_ or whatever."  
"Does she think he's alive?"  
"Shit, Jake, she said there's no way of knowing for sure. She said it sounds like the summoning went wrong because of the bloodstone circle being disrupted. It should have been a one-way process but it wasn't. Those little demons shouldn't have been able to carry anyone away to their dimension."  
"She thinks Earl and the others are alive in some kind of alternate plane of existence?"  
"Yep. As long as it's one with water and air and comfortable temperatures he should be okay. But still lost to us. Still gone."  
"Shit."  
"Yep."  
Jake twisted around to face Marcus. "Marcus, I want to do some research. Find out if this has happened before anywhere else, find out what happened and if anyone ever got back. I need to know as much as I can find out about what might or might not have happened to Earl."  
Marcus smiled and kissed Jake. "Mmm yep. I can help you there. You're gonna need a decent library. You won't find what you want to know in the biography of Helen Hunt."  
Marcus pulled Jake tighter and sobbed into his shoulder.  
"Sorry. I should be stronger."  
Jake held on to Marcus and looked at him with the question clear on his face.  
"Why?"

Marcus cried himself out. Jake held him, stroked his back.  
"You thought Josie could bring Earl back, didn't you?"  
Marcus nodded.  
"She doesn't think he will come back, right?"  
Marcus shook his head. Jake breathed deep three times.  
"Marcus, I will exhaust every contact, every piece of information I can lay my hands on, until I know either how to bring him home or understand for sure if we can't. I can't make any promises at all, except that I will do everything I can to understand this."  
Marcus buried his head in Jake's shoulder again and brought a hand up to stroke Jake's face. "I love you, Jake."  
"I know. I love you too, Marcus."  
They lay quiet for a while. Jake thought Marcus might have drifted into a doze and perhaps he did too. Marcus sighed, pulled Jake on top of himself and stroked Jake's face with both hands.  
"Jake."  
"Marcus?"  
"Mmm. I want you to do, uh, something. I want... I want to feel something that isn't _this._ Jake, I'll understand if you say no but I want you to--"  
Jake stopped Marcus with a kiss. "Do you want sex?"  
"Maybe. Whatever. It's not _want_ exactly. I... I think it might make me feel less numb for a while."  
Jake kissed Marcus again. "I'll see what I can do. Stop me if you change your mind."

Jake rummaged in the cabinet for a condom and got back into bed.  
"You sure?" Marcus nodded. Jake kissed him and stroked his face for a minute. He moved down the bed, head level with Marcus's chest, and kissed across Marcus's collarbones, teased at his nipples with lips and teeth, looking up to see Marcus's reaction. Marcus lay back, unmoving beyond basic signs of life. Jake stroked the flat of his hand down Marcus's chest and stomach, stopping just outside Marcus's no-touch zone. Marcus took Jake's hand and slid it down. Jake kissed Marcus's stomach and stroked him with feathery fingers. He paused to put the condom on Marcus before settling between his thighs and slowly, gently making him feel something that wasn't loss. Jake took his cues from Marcus's breathing and muscle twitches until Marcus came, face hidden by a pillow.  
Jake kissed Marcus on the hipbone and shuffled back up level with Marcus. He put his arm across Marcus's chest and kissed the point of his shoulder.  
"Uh. Gotta get up."  
Marcus bolted for the shower room. A few minutes later, hearing a crash, Jake ran in too, to check if Marcus was okay. Marcus stood with clenched fists and mouth set in a grimace, eyes tight shut. On the floor lay scattered all the bottles and tubs from the shelf and the cabinet.  
"Marcus! Marcus, don't move. Stay exactly where you are." Jake returned with shoes on and a pair for Marcus. "Here, slip these on. Some of the bottles are broken." Marcus allowed Jake to help him with his shoes and lead him out of the room.  
"I have no idea why I did that. I saw Earl's stuff and I got angry. Then I stood there because I broke his favourite bottle of cologne, the stuff you got him as a peace offering after that stupid argument about cabbage. I couldn't get my head around what I just did. I didn’t know what to do about it."  
Jake held Marcus tight. "You get a robe on, go use the shower in my apartment. I'll clear up the glass and come downstairs too."  
"While you're researching how we might get Earl back, I'm going to ask Hiram to find that bastard who disrupted the bloodstone circle. Hiram liked Earl too."

Later, Jake and Marcus ate casserole straight out of the oven dish. It had arrived the day before with a plain card signed _Erika._ Marcus had wept as he held the card until Jake took it from him and hid it.  
"Jake, I want to sleep down here tonight."  
"Okay. Uh, with me or do you need some space?"  
"With you. Y'know. Change of scenery."  
Jake nodded. "Fine. I'll move some of your stuff down ready for the morning."  
"Got anything of Earl's here?"  
"Yeah, some shirts. Want me to put them away?"  
"No. Can I have one? Y’know, to wear?"  
Jake nodded and went into the bedroom. He rummaged in Earl's drawer but stopped and instead reached under the bedcovers for the shirt Earl had worn in bed most recently and Jake had kept nestled in Earl's side of the covers. Marcus hugged the shirt to his chest then slipped it on.

Marcus and Jake lived in Jake's apartment for a while. Jake's investigation began when he took Josie's casserole dish back. Josie told him nothing new and mainly asked about Marcus, made Jake take her hand and promise to look after him. Josie's companions, tall, shimmery figures who made good coffee, seemed especially interested in Marcus's wellbeing and with calm voices promised as many casseroles and corn muffins as he needed. Jake accepted.  
Next, Jake tried talking with the radio host who had been Earl's friend. He was distantly sympathetic, distracted, offering only _each day that is, is a blessing_ and a suggestion that perhaps a scientific investigation might be the answer, because he knew the perfect scientist for the job and gave Jake a business card, home-made. It had a drawing of a figure with dark curly hair, a devastating smile and a lab coat on one side, the name _Carlos Scientist_ and a telephone number in calligraphic script on the other. Jake pocketed the card with thanks, sensing that a refusal would be rude.  
The Sheriff's Secret Police were a little more helpful, offering Jake copies of surveillance tapes from the day of the ceremony, but no further information.  
Jake called in at Marcus's city centre office to pick up documents for Marcus to look over. Mhairi, head of personnel, hovered around the office door.  
"Jakey! Good to see you. How are you holding up?"  
Jake turned and smiled, waved Mhairi in. She shut the door behind her and locked it. "Seriously, Jake, you should be home with Marcus. I need to talk to you about another reputation boost but... Jake? Shit. C'mere honey."  
Mhairi held Jake while he trembled, biting hard at his lip and screwing up his face in an effort to hold everything at bay a little longer until he was alone. Mhairi stroked his hair, murmuring _it's okay, it's okay_ over and over until he broke.

Mhairi listened as Jake talked himself out. She offered to arrange the security tapes to be dropped off with Hiram. Jake raised his eyebrows. "Nobody is supposed to know where his lair is."  
Mhairi laughed. "Remember I used to be Marcus's receptionist. There is not much I don't know around here. It's my job. I even know you went to the radio station today to see our other local celebrity."  
Jake smiled. "I forgot Sean works there now. How is he?"  
Mhairi shrugged. "He's fine as far as I know. Dating some intern I expect. Oh don't look like that, it was never serious between us. Now, what can I do to help out?"  
"Marcus said he would open a library. Know any good locations?"  
Mhairi grinned. "I know the perfect location, and a great way of keeping people out and boosting Marcus's public reputation all in one go. I assume there will be books in it relevant to your interests that might not be on the approved reading list? No don't tell me. I'll call Marcus later with some ideas once they crystallise in my head. So you've got Josie's casseroles, a contact number for that scientist and--"  
"Mhairi, how the fuck--"  
"--do I know? I'm paid to know what goes on. There are four people paid more than you in Vansten Industries. Not counting Marcus, of course," Mhairi counted on her fingers. "That guy in legal that nobody ever talks about, his private accountant, the live-in handyman, and a certain chubby little busybody who nobody takes seriously, everybody assumes fucked her way up the corporate ladder and forgets she's in the room. I know when to keep my ears open and mouth closed. You need to find out something related to Marcus's business partners? You know who to call. You can call me when you need, Jake."  
Jake hugged Mhairi. "Thanks for letting me vent. I never thought those things about you."  
Mhairi smiled. "Yeah, you saw through me real fast." She frowned. "You know, he's not gone. He'll always be part of you both. It might be too soon yet, but make space for him, somewhere to keep his memory, somewhere you can spend time with him until you see him again."  
"You think we'll see him again?"  
Mhairi shrugged. "Weirder things have happened in this town."

Jake and Marcus listened to the radio again in case there was any more news about Earl. There was nothing, but another news item caused them to put down their forks and ignore the heavenly casserole delivered earlier with a note addressed to Jake that read _keep him safe for us, E x_.  
"Huh. Mayor Winchell is stepping down. Interesting."  
Jake watched Marcus's face without comment.  
"What! The Faceless Old Woman who WHAT?" Marcus pushed his chair back and scanned the walls of Jake's apartment. He shook his head. "Heh. There's nobody here but us."  
Jake thought for a moment. "It would explain a few things, Marcus. Like that time Earl's browser history showed equine figurines, and the time you thought I'd cheated on you because there were two silver hairs on my shirt."  
"Heh. The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Home seems more plausible than you bringing home some--"  
"What was that?" Jake leapt up. "Shit! The microwave's on fire!"

Marcus called Mhairi to tell her to publicise the new library. Once Marcus left to visit Hiram out in the sand wastes, to discuss local politics where there was no danger of snooping faceless entities, Jake looked around his apartment and Marcus's rooms. He removed everything of Earl's and arranged it in the Furnace Room. He brought the photograph album he had been working on when Marcus wasn't around and put it on Earl's coffee table. Jake sat on Earl’s sofa and surveyed his work. The apartment was neat, tidy and looked occupied.

Marcus got home from his trip into the sand wastes gritty and sticky. He headed straight for the shower, giving Jake a cursory grunt and a wave on the way past. Jake followed Marcus through to his bedroom and shower room. Marcus left a trail of clothing on the floor which Jake picked up and shook out before giving up and taking it to the laundry chute. Marcus was in the shower when Jake returned. Jake called from the doorway.  
“Scrub your back?”  
“Heh. You can come get the sand out of my hair.”  
Jake undressed and joined Marcus in the shower. He worked on Marcus’s tangled hair, tutting and muttering _Jeez what did you do to this?_ and _easier to shear it off_ as Marcus laughed.  
“Whatever. You could use Earl’s conditioner on it? Y’know, the one he kept for after camp?”  
Jake stopped then resumed the small circular movements of his fingers on Marcus’s scalp. “Oh. I moved Earl’s stuff.”  
Marcus went quiet.

Marcus went red. He stared at Jake, eyebrows pulled low, deepening the line between. “Why, Jake, WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT!” He stepped back, a hand out to stop Jake from coming closer. “WHAT GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO CLEAR HIM OUT OF MY LIFE!” Marcus waved his hands and clutched at his head. “Jake, Jake why did you do that. I need Earl around me, I need to see that he’s here, he’s coming home. Jake, put it all back.”  
Jake stared, open mouthed. “Marcus, it’s been a month! I miss him too, so much, but--”  
“I DON’T CARE! Bring it all back. Bring him back.”  
“Okay! Okay. First, will you let me show you where I put it?" Jake reached out a hand. Marcus nodded.  
"Whatever. Then we can, y'know, put it all back where it belongs."  
Jake sighed. "Yes, if you want."

Jake led Marcus to the Furnace room. Marcus looked around.  
"Heh. Looks like he just went out." He sat down and picked up the photograph album. "What's this?"  
Jake sat beside Marcus. "Look and see."  
Marcus opened to the first page, a grainy photograph of Earl and himself leaning against the limo, locked in a kiss while Jake fumbled with the door in the background. He laughed. "Shit. Remember when this was news? Heh."  
The second photograph was of Marcus and Earl lying in the desert, holding on to each other. Earl was grinning. "That was on your date. I got the scouts to take pictures of your climb."  
"I was terrified. Earl made me feel safe."  
"Mmm."  
They worked through the collection, chatting about the stories behind the photographs until the last one, taken a month before. Earl stood in his scoutmaster uniform, eyes closed and grinning as Jake and Marcus each planted an unexpected kiss on his cheeks.

Marcus flicked through the photographs again. "There should be more. There should be albums stacked up with years of photographs, decades of them. Instead we got, what, ten months all of us together maybe?"  
Jake nodded. "Yes. I was looking forward to taking you both to see our new home on our anniversary." He frowned and took Marcus's hand. "Marcus, should I go ahead with that?"  
"Yes. Until we know different, Earl is coming home. One day."  
"Okay."  
They sat quietly for a while.  
"Jake, thank you."  
"What for?"  
Marcus smiled. "This."

Marcus took a few items back, but not everything. He chose Earl's favourite shirt, his shampoo and conditioner, and he found a spare bottle of Earl's cologne in the bathroom. He hung the shirt on the side of his own wardrobe and placed the other items in his shower room. Jake followed, watching Marcus.  
"I'm sorry I moved all his stuff."  
Marcus hugged Jake. "Don't be. We deal differently with... things."  
"I guess. You want to see things that remind you of Earl."  
"It helps."  
"I... Marcus..." Jake closed his eyes and leaned against the door frame. Marcus took his arm and led him over to sit on the bed, wrapped his arms around Jake and rocked him back and forwards. "I know, Jake, it hurts to be reminded constantly of what you've lost. You have been so strong for me and I needed you. Let me be the strong one for a while? It will get better, and one day we might wake up to hear him cursing because he can't find anything. Except that one shirt and his cologne."  
Jake laughed and sobbed as Marcus held him and told comforting lies.


	11. Two of us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jake asks Marcus how he found out he was asexual. Marcus makes Jake an offer he thinks is inconsistent, but one he doesn't want to refuse.

The next few weeks saw Marcus and Jake settle into a new routine. Progress on their new home decelerated due to an infestation of cockroaches that were impervious to the usual toxic fog and ticked when they walked. They listened to the radio more for news of Mayor Winchell's plans, which seemed as substantial as mist. But on the week when the mayor announced four times she was stepping down, Marcus had a meltdown at Hiram. Hiram, unused to seeing a human in any position other than deference or fear, stared with ten eyes at the furious businessman.  
Grey head laughed and snorted, pulling Marcus out of his anger. Gold head tried to smile, too many teeth made it a frightening sight.  
**Marcus m'dear, get it together. We have work to do. Blue-head? Your analysis if you please?**  
**_We need to establish a brand identity. The slogan "I'm a five headed dragon, who cares?" did well in a poll I conducted. Eighty percent of respondents thought it was perfect. The other twenty percent is an ass._**  
_IT IS A TERRIBLE SLOGAN! WE SHOULD CHOOSE SOMETHING HUMANS WILL CONNECT WITH. LIKE--_  
**SHUT UP PURPLE. NOBODY ASKED FOR YOUR IDEAS. HUMANS HAVE TO OBEY US, NOT LIKE US.**  
_I AM VIOLET! VI-LET! NOT PURPLE. VIOLET._  
"Heh. You bickering to, y'know, entertain me or whatever? Or are we going to talk strategy?"

Blue head shushed the others, who glared. Green emitted a warning belch of smoke.  
**_I have noticed with my excellent mathematical and analytical capabilities, that there is a pattern in recent business deals involving McDaniels Insurance, Vansten Industries and a few small businesses in Night Vale._**  
**Indeed. We need to campaign on protecting small businesses in Night Vale.**  
**DESTROY THE INTERLOPERS WITH FLAME! MAKE THEM TREMBLE BEFORE US!**  
_THAT IS AN ASININE IDEA. I HARDLY THINK ALIENATING INTERLOPERS WILL ENCOURAGE FAITH IN OUR LEADERSHIP. DON'T LISTEN TO GREEN._  
**_I have calculated that Night Vale small businesses need significant investments from outside sources, bring more money into the local economy. We should campaign to boost investments!_**  
**I think what Greeny means--**  
**HOW DARE YOU CALL ME THAT!**  
**I humbly beg your pardon, Green-head. I think what my green-head intends is that we keep a firm control over who we allow, no, who we encourage to invest in Night Vale small businesses to ensure profit rests in the correct bank accounts.**  
**_I have worked out a sliding scale of percentages for business incentives and kickba—_**  
**Whoa there Blue-head! Watch your language!**

Marcus laughed. Grey-head nudged him on the shoulder.  
_Sorry you lost Earl. I liked him. He always listened to me._  
Marcus raised a hand to touch Grey-head’s face then thought better of it, dropping his hand by his side. “Thanks. Mmm whaddaya think of these takeovers, Grey?”  
_Bad news. Talk to Blue-head, ask about the deals we’ve been offered to buy out McDaniels Insurance._  
“Heh. I been offered some crazy deals too. All different companies on the surface but my Jake did some, y’know, digging. All fronts for one company. You’re pretty quiet, you hear things others miss. What do you know about a company called StrexCorp Synernists Incorported?”  
All five of Hiram’s heads silenced, all ten eyes focused on Marcus.  
**_They are manipulating the market, forcing share prices down, buying out companies when they are desperate, stripping assets and moving on. They need to be stopped._**  
_HOW DARE THEY STEAL OUR BUSINESS PLAN!_  
Marcus and Hiram discussed and argued a little longer. Mostly Hiram bickered with himself while Marcus half-listened and chatted about Earl with Grey-head.

Marcus returned home to a quiet mansion. He showered and changed, paced his rooms and sent Jake a text. There was no reply after five minutes. Marcus went downstairs, turned along the corridor and walked into the Furnace Room. Music played quietly the way Earl liked it and Jake sat back on Earl's sofa, leafing through the photograph album.  
"Jake! You get my text?"  
"No, sorry, I left my phone in my kitchen. I'll go get it." Jake put the album down and half rose. Marcus put a hand on his shoulder.  
"Sit, it was nothing urgent or whatever. I only wanted to know where you were." Marcus sat beside Jake and took his hand. Jake wove his fingers between Marcus's and sat back again.  
"Marcus?"  
"Mmm?"  
"You know how I met Earl. How did you first meet Earl?"

Marcus smiled and squeezed Jake's hand.  
"Heh. He never told you?"  
"No. I didn't even find out he once worked for you from him, Mhairi told me, the day after that awful night at _Dragonflies_ , and you asked me how I knew Earl, confirmed he worked for you. I called him just after I stormed out, I was worried that you were coming on to me so much. I asked him if he thought you'd fire me if I didn't have sex with you. He said you fired him because--"  
"Stop! I didn't know he'd told you that. It was in his exit contract that if anyone ever asked why he left he had to say we were fucking but it didn't work out. Y'know, reputation, whatever."  
"I didn't know he was lying back then. He calmed me down and I came back."  
"Heh. He did leave because of sex. Kinda. I met Earl when he came to me to ask for a donation for his scout troop. I have no idea how he got past Mhairi on reception. I saw this beautiful warrior with scars I wanted to touch and said I wasn't in the business of, y'know, giving out money and he could earn it by working for me, or whatever. He accepted. I made him my personal assistant because Mhairi wanted time off. He was good, real shy about his appearance. About a couple of months in, he was in my rooms. We got talking and he let me see some of his scars. I asked if I could touch. He said yes. I was admiring that big one... Mmm if I close my eyes I can remember... I traced down the one on his face, stroked my hands over the ones on his chest and stomach and he held me, kissed me. Mmm. It was nice for a few seconds then he put his tongue in my mouth. Ugh I hate that! I pushed him off. I guess I looked kinda disgusted because he apologised, grabbed his shirt and left. I didn't see him again for months. Mhairi sorted out his exit contract. I wonder, if I had reacted better, explained, maybe we'd've been together."  
"He told me later that he left because you didn't want him the way he wanted you. He felt humiliated."  
"We had a proper talk about it eventually. I get so worried y'know, businessman and politician, there's an expected reputation and people will think I'm weird if it gets out. So I lie."

Jake unclasped his hand from Marcus's fingers and put his hand on Marcus's knee instead. "How did you figure it out that you're asexual?"  
Marcus smiled.  
"Heh. When I was a teenager my friends all somehow stopped talking about the latest TV shows and swapping football stickers and started talking about each other. Y'know, who kissed who where, who wanted to do what with who, which movie stars they would totally sleep with given a chance. Ugh. I so didn't get it, but I lied to fit in. I went out with a girl a few times because that's what you did back then. Find a member of the opposite gender, heh, hold hands, ugh, kiss. I dreaded dates. Got dumped a lot until girls stopped agreeing to go out with me at all. Heh. Guess who I took to prom?"  
"Hmm?"  
"Mhairi. We had fun. Danced, played stupid games, hugged and said goodnight. No making out, no kissing. We dated while she was in college and I started Vansten Industries. I thought the kinda warm feeling I got around her must be what sexual attraction felt like." Marcus shrugged.  
Jake stared. "You had sex with Mhairi?"  
Marcus laughed properly. "No. I asked if she wanted to but she said she liked me and never wanted to do any more than, y'know, cuddle. That was a relief. Everyone assumed we were, y'know, _active._ A few people made comments, y'know, speculating on what sex between us must be like or whatever. We just rolled our eyes at each other and bitched about them later. When Vansten Industries started to get big I asked her to come work for me. Heh. It's amazing what a, y'know, ordinary-looking person of indeterminate age can find out just by being quiet in the background. If you look, you'll see she's beautiful, but most people don't look twice. It's like she's invisible."  
Jake smiled. "I like Mhairi. I've seen her walk into a room full of people and vanish. Are you sure she's not _actually_ invisible when she wants?" Marcus shrugged. "Okay, any other girlfriends?"

"I wasn't attracted to women, wondered if I was, y'know, gay or whatever. But I wasn't attracted to men either. I never look at someone and think _mmm yep I'd do that._ I like stupid innuendo because the way people react is funny. Heh, anything is innuendo if you think about it, y'know, _hard_ enough. Oh, your face the first time I said anything! Priceless. I don't remember what I said and I bet half of it was in your interpretation. Ugh, the thought of actually having sex... I don't want that. I don't want anyone fucking me. I can't even watch porn. Movie sex scenes make me wanna leave the room."  
"Oh? I know you watch that security video clip of me and Earl."  
"That's different. Watching you two together is different from porn. I like seeing you two make love because you both look so into each other. I love that look where you're right on the edge. It looks like a cross between intense concentration, excitement and anticipation. You twitch and tense like you don't know where to put your arms and legs. When you start to come your face opens up and you get this look of complete bliss. Jake, you and Earl are beautiful together. Porn is mostly about the genitals of, y'know, unusually hairless people who look bored and uncomfortable. Watching you and Earl is about your love for each other."  
"Huh."  
Marcus sighed. "I miss it."  
Jake half-laughed. "Yeah. Me too."

Jake hugged Marcus. Marcus sat silent, head on Jake's shoulder. He wriggled a little.  
"Mmm. Y'know, back then I didn't know... I thought there must be something wrong with me."  
Jake frowned. "Oh? Why?"  
"Look anywhere. You see it but you probably don't notice. Adverts, TV shows, movies, whatever. So much sex and I didn't feel it. It made me squirm, heh, still does a bit. I confided in someone, not Mhairi, and they said I should _see someone_ like, a doctor or get counselling or whatever. To fix it."  
Jake stroked Marcus's arm. "Did you?"  
"Mmm yep. Blood tests came back normal, the counsellor told me I just hadn't met the right person yet. My _friend_ told me if I wasn't having sex with him it meant I didn't love him so I should just do it anyway and get used to it and I'd learn to like it."  
"What an asshole. Was that when you were in college?"  
"Heh, no. It was about five years ago."  
Jake frowned. "Marcus did you spend all that time thinking--"  
"--there was something wrong with me? Yep."  
Jake pulled Marcus into a tighter hug. "What did you do about the asshole _friend_?"  
Marcus sighed. "Jake, I'm not, y'know, proud of this. I did what he suggested for a while. Long enough to learn to hate him."  
Jake battled to keep his voice calm. "He still around?"  
Marcus frowned. "Funny thing, heh, I introduced him to Hiram and Mhairi at a party and never saw him again. Mhairi said he skipped town. Mmm yep, I choose to believe her."

They sat side by side amongst Earl's things. Jake picked up Marcus's hand, kissed it and put it down again. "Marcus, why me?"  
"Heh. Have you _seen_ you?"  
"There has to be more than you like the way I look."  
"Mmm yeah. I watched you get up from your interview seat and check out the room. You were not afraid of me, when you thought you'd blown it, I pushed you and you had a kind of controlled fury. I imagined what you would be like if you, y'know, let go or whatever. I wanted to get closer to you. But you never really did lose it with me. For the longest time I didn't know whether that meant you liked me or you didn't give a shit about me. Earl told me how you felt. I never saw it. I don't pick up hints."  
Jake laughed. "No, I guess we're all bad at that."  
Marcus smiled. "Your turn. Why me?"  
Jake shrugged. "I saw you around promoting your business when I was in college. I got a job doing... this and that, and kept track of Vansten Industries. This job came up and I applied. I don't even remember where I saw the advert. But I was so excited! Earl prepped me for the interview. When I heard you speak, even before I turned and saw you properly, up close, I knew I was yours. If you wanted."  
"Heh. There was no advert for the position. Mhairi looks out for people she thinks will be an asset to the company. The most promising ones end up in my office being asked awkward questions."  
Jake laughed. "Marcus, your ex-prom date set you up, with Earl then with me?" Marcus swore and covered his face with both hands. He shook his head slowly.  
"Heh, guess who introduced me to Hiram?"

Jake held Marcus for a few more minutes. Marcus sat up and tapped Jake's knee.  
"Wanna go back upstairs?"  
"In a minute. I like it in here, It's quiet and I can think about Earl and... things."  
"Mmm yeah. Wonder if--"  
"--Please don't, Marcus, not out loud. Not yet. I've read everything I can find and there's nothing that helps me find out where he is."  
"Come on." Marcus got up and offered both hands to Jake. "I need you to come upstairs with me."

Marcus led Jake up to his rooms. As soon as the door closed he stopped, turned and put one hand on Jake's chest, the other stroked Jake's cheek.  
"I never said thank you."  
"Huh? What for?"  
"Making me, y'know, forget for a few minutes."  
"Oh! Oh that. Mmm. I wanted to do it." Jake put his arms around Marcus's waist and pulled him closer. Marcus leaned a head on Jake's shoulder.  
"It was nice. And thanks you for, umm, not assuming it meant I wanted it again, or I wanted more."  
"It's fine, Marcus. Why say this now?"  
"I wondered if you needed me to make you feel something different for a few minutes. It's, y'know, been a while."

Jake smiled and kissed Marcus's head. "Thanks for the offer, but you don't have to do that."  
Marcus slid his hands around Jake's shoulders. "I know. But I will, if you want. Later, maybe."  
"You don't want sex. I don't want it if you don't want it." Jake sighed and rubbed Marcus's back.  
Marcus kissed the side of Jake's neck. "No, it's not a sex thing. It's a make-my-Jake-feel-better thing. I want to make you feel better for a while."  
"What if it freaks you out?"  
"Mmm nope. Should be okay as long as you let me do the thing and don't... as long as you stay kinda passive and don't get offended when I don't get turned on. Did it for Earl once. Doesn't mean I want anything back."  
Jake sighed again, quieter. "We'll see what happens later. It's been a bit... dormant lately. Since, you know." Marcus nodded and kissed Jake's neck just below his ear. Jake shivered, smiled and stepped back, taking Marcus's hand.

It happened much later, after dinner from the freezer and the microwave in Jake's apartment, wine and a movie. Marcus reclined on the sofa, feet up. Jake lay back against Marcus as the home cinema system surrounded them with special effects. Half-asleep, Jake leaned his head on Marcus's shoulder and yawned. Marcus laughed, stroked Jake's arms and turned the TV off.  
"Hey! I was watching that!"  
"Heh. You were studying the insides of your eyelids."  
"Was not." Jake grinned and patted Marcus's arm, wrapped around him. Marcus kissed Jake by his ear again. Jake relaxed, dropped his head onto the arm of the sofa. "Mmm we can sleep here, right?"  
Marcus laughed. "Maybe you can, if I do I'll be, y'know, crippled by morning. Come on, get up and go to bed." Marcus sniggered. "I'll make it worth your while."  
Jake sat up. "You don't have to." He stood and stretched.  
Marcus accepted Jake's offer of a hand to help him up. He smiled. "I know."

Marcus led Jake to bed. He told Jake to stand still, undressed him slowly and stood back to admire his form. Jake giggled a little. "What is it you like? When you look at me like that I wonder if I oughtta work out."  
Marcus frowned and shook his head. "No, please don't do that. You'd still look great because it's _you_ but... ugh not the bodybuilder look."  
"Earl's well toned. You like that."  
"Mmm yep. On Earl. You're Jake. I love you for being Jake."  
Jake smiled. Marcus kissed him and led him over to the bed. "Jake?" Jake turned to Marcus. "How can I make sure you don't, y'know, intervene. Physically or whatever."  
Jake grinned. "Marcus, do you want me to _use restraint_ or do you want to _use restraints_ on me?"  
Marcus frowned. "Would you mind? I'd feel more confident if I knew you couldn't, like, hold my head while you--"  
Jake sat up and hugged Marcus. "I would never... Marcus, you have my permission to do whatever you need to do to be comfortable with this." Jake lay back and raised his arms above his head. Marcus removed the cord from his robe.

"Is this okay?"  
Jake moved his arms as far as he could. The cord looped from one wrist to the other around one of the uprights in the bedstead. "It's fine. I can move enough to be comfortable and the knots are just tight enough. I can untie myself if I need to."  
Marcus smiled. "Okay. Close your eyes. Let your mind, y'know, wander." He waited for Jake to comply. Marcus started at Jake's feet, massaging small circles into his soles and kissing along the arches. Jake _hmm_ ed in pleasure, stretching out his toes as Marcus progressed to ankles and calves, stroking and kissing, then moved up Jake's thighs, nudging his knees to signal Jake to move his legs apart. Marcus trailed his fingers up Jake's inner thighs from his knees to his groin, watching Jake's face. Jake fluttered his eyes open and Marcus smiled at him.  
"Okay so far?"  
"Mmm. Come up here and kiss me."  
Marcus slid his palms up Jake's stomach and chest to his shoulders and back down again before carefully resting his weight on Jake's torso and kissing his lips. Marcus adjusted the position of his hip, deliberately providing pressure and friction through the fabric of his robe that made Jake catch his breath and tilt his hips seeking more. Marcus removed the pressure and sat up. Jake gasped a complaint.  
"Heh. Impatient. I'm not finished playing with you yet."  
Jake groaned, but smiled and relaxed.

Marcus played his lips and tongue over Jake's chest and stomach, pausing to drag his teeth over Jake's nipples, making him breathe in sharply, hold his breath and hiss it out again. Jake opened his eyes, lifted his head and looked down. Marcus carried an expression of concentration, a slight frown. Jake smiled.  
"This is nice, Marcus, _really_ nice, but if you've had enough you can stop. I can look after myself if you change your mind."  
Marcus looked up and grinned. "Heh. Deciding what to do next, that's all. Mmm. Close your eyes."  
Jake leaned back against the pillows again. Marcus rummaged in his pockets. He put on the pair of thin surgical gloves and stroked one finger across Jake's perineum and along the shaft of his penis. Jake twitched. Marcus unrolled a condom over Jake's cock, leaned over and closed his lips around it. He hummed, pulling a sound of surprised pleasure from Jake. Marcus sat up. "You like that?" Jake grinned and nodded. "Bend your knees up a bit more. Here..." Marcus positioned Jake's legs, knees bent, feet apart either side of him. He reached for the lube.  
Marcus traced one finger around Jake's entrance and pushed in slowly. He smiled as Jake moaned and pulled at the cord restricting his range of motion. Marcus pushed in farther, waited a moment then pulled out again. He repeated the movement with two fingers, twisting his hand and curling his fingers inside Jake. Jake gasped and twitched as Marcus found the bundle of nerve endings he was looking for. Marcus pulled out again slowly and pushed in, taking a few tries to find the angle that made Jake push back against him. He leaned forward, taking the head of Jake's cock into his mouth and worked his tongue and lips in rhythm with his fingers until Jake came with a series of shuddering, ragged breaths.  
Marcus withdrew his hand slowly and peeled off his gloves, inside out, dropping them over the side of the bed. He pulled at the knot on Jake's right wrist, freeing his hands, put a hand on Jake's chest, kissed him and left the room.

Marcus returned a couple of minutes later as Jake finished tidying up. Jake smiled.  
"I thought you'd bolted. Coming to bed?"  
"Mmm yep."  
They got into bed, Jake wearing one of Earl's shirts and Marcus nude. Jake spooned up behind Marcus.  
"That was good, Marcus."  
"Heh. Surprised?"  
"Maybe a little."  
"I've watched you with Earl. I know what you like."  
"Mmm."  
Marcus stroked the arm around his waist. He waited until Jake's breathing slowed and deepened before slipping out of bed and heading for the shower.

 


	12. Touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marcus sends Jake on a mission so secret even Jake has no idea. The consequences give Marcus an idea. A _really_ dumb one.

Marcus was livid, incandescent with rage. He paced Hiram's desert lair, gesticulating and shouting while the five-headed dragon reclined, watched him with two heads and flicked his tail slowly from side to side. Marcus stopped still, turned and pointed at Gold-head.  
"Is it true? Please, please deny it, give me evidence that you are not a MORON!"  
Gold-head sighed out smoke. **Marcus m'boy, you know things are never as simple as they sound. It's a businesshuman to businessdragon deal. Politics is full of it. You're real naive if you think I wouldn't use some influence to gain favours at this stage in my political career.**  
Marcus resumed pacing the floor of the cave. "Hiram... Ugh. Stop that childish smouldering. It's not that you approached the corn lobbyists. That's pretty standard, you need those guys on your side in this town—"  
Violet rattled his greying scales and cut in. _WE FAIL TO SEE PRECISELY WHAT YOUR PROBLEM IS. YOU CAME HERE TO TALK POLITICS AND BUSINESS, THREW A TANTRUM ACCUSING—_  
**Thank you Violet, I got this. Marcus, speaking as potential Mayoral candidates, what exactly is the problem here?**  
Marcus stared from Violet to Gold-head and back again. He stood as close as he dared, faced Gold down and hissed. "You. Got. Caught. _SHE_ knows you're in cahoots with the corn lobbyists. She's using it to smear your campaign."  
Grey head opened his eyes and waggled his nose ring at Marcus. _Please simmer down, Marcus. You suit the laid-back look. Or, y'know, whatever._

Marcus sulked. Hiram pretended not to notice. Blue-head chatted with Gold about profit margins and violet bickered quietly with Green over the best way to deal with citizens who failed to express gratitude to their Mayor in a convincing enough manner. Gold and Blue remained statesdragonlike but Grey snuffled at Marcus's head until he laughed and pushed him away.  
"C'mon, stoppit. Heh. Don't need no dragon long lens photos in the Journal or whatever. Bad for us both."  
Grey-head blew heated, dry air over Marcus's damp face. _Hmm, get Mhairi to find you someone to step in for Earl?_  
Despite his years and sciatic nerve issues, Marcus could move when he needed to. He gripped Grey-head's green nose ring and pulled his head to eye level.  
"Don't you EVER suggest that Earl is replaceable. UNDERSTAND?"  
Gold-head looked round in slight alarm at the referred pain in his own snout. **Steady on, Marcus m'dear, what my Grey-head means is not that Earl can be replaced as such, no, what he means is that... that...**  
**_that you are suited to a less restricted relationship. Your unit has reduced by thirty-three percent! We understand, after all we are… I am five and would miss it twenty percent was taken. Depending on which twenty percent, of course._** Blue-head blinked violet eyes at Marcus.  
Marcus sighed. "Are you suggesting I need to find another... what exactly?" He looked at Gold-head, then Violet, but only got shrugs. Green head opened his eyes and yawned.  
**ARE WE STILL TALKING ABOUT THIS PUNY BEING'S PERSONAL SITUATION? DO WE NEED TO INCINERATE SOMEONE ELSE FOR HIM YET? WITH REAL FIRE? I WOULD ASSIST IN DISPOSAL OF ANY EVIDENCE.**

Marcus left in a better mood. It wasn't all Hiram's fault. Marcus allowed Hiram to think his mood was caused entirely by Earl's disappearance. The previous evening and this morning had been difficult, although yesterday started well enough. 

\------------

Marcus and Jake had a comfortable routine. Jake drove Marcus to the office in town, as usual, a little too fast, as usual. They spent the day working near each other, Marcus making up excuses to call Jake in to his office, Jake pretending he didn't know what Marcus was doing.  
"Heh, Jake, so hard at work, wanna come in here?"  
Jake snorted and rolled his eyes at that one, but went to see what Marcus wanted anyway.  
"Show me the data from this morning. You sorted it out yet? Mmm yep, that's a good column of figures. Jake, you’re giving me a very impressive column."  
Jake left the room, grinning and shaking his head. He called Marcus from his desk in the outer office. "You know I love getting my hands on your morning column and sorting it out for you, sir."  
Marcus laughed. "Heh. Cheeky. Am I rubbing off on you again?" 

Marcus had meetings most of the afternoon with local business owners. Jake and that person from accounts that nobody ever spoke of were present. Jake took notes at each meeting that revealed a familiar pattern.  
_I want my business to stay in Night Vale, Mr Vansten. But they are buying up all my suppliers and cutting me off until I go out of business. It's just a matter of time. Can you buy them out? The suppliers? It's profitable, it must be or why would they be interested? Why would they pay? I am not asking for charity, just a fair price for..._  
Eventually Marcus had heard enough. He looked at the accountant.  
"Nope. No, no, no. Maybe if you had the whole chain of supply for one business you could do something, but..." The accountant looked from Marcus to Jake and back again. "Look, take the Guiterrez business as an example. Say you buy out White Sands Ice Cream Parlour. You'd have to buy the dairy that supplies them, and the farms that supply the dairy, and the feed merchants that supply the farms, and the—"  
Marcus held up a hand, palm up as if for a particularly depressing high-five. "I get it. Heh. So to keep one business operating I need to purchase a controlling interest in ten more or whatever."  
The accountant looked at Jake and nodded. "Something like that." She turned back to Marcus. "If you give me a set of priorities and a ballpark budget, Jake and I can maybe work on a realistic acquisition strategy? Get back to you later?"  
Marcus frowned, glanced at Jake and nodded. "Mmm yep, do that thing you just said. Or whatever. By _ballpark figure_ you mean a figure big enough to buy a ballpark?"  
The accountant smiled and adjusted her tie. "More or less, Mr Vansten." 

Jake escorted Marcus's personal accountant to the front desk. He frowned and scrolled through his own appointment diary, which was mostly full. Mostly with Marcus.  
"When do you want to work on this proposal?"  
The accountant glanced at Jake's tablet screen. "Hmm, difficult. We are all busy people. I see you are free for dinner."  
"Oh, I could do that, Marcus will be seeing Hi... a loose association of important clients who wish to remain anonymous until their deal is complete. He will not need me between six and nine thirty, possibly later if it goes well."  
"That should be long enough for what I have in mind. I'll pick you up here at six fifteen." She looked Jake up and down. "We should go somewhere private. I know the perfect place." She offered Jake a handshake. He took it then returned to Marcus.  
Marcus grinned at him. "You got a date with Steph? I saw the way she kept looking at you."  
Jake frowned. "It's not a date. She knows I'm with you, everyone in the company knows I'm regularly fucking my boss despite vowing never to do that, because he's just... so... damn... _irresistible!_ " Jake smiled and kissed Marcus on both cheeks, "and charming. And... nope I'm all out of flattery. Sorry, sir."  
Marcus laughed and hugged Jake, kissed him and stroked his face. He jumped when the office door banged and a throat was cleared dramatically.  
"You two _busy?_ Marcus, peel yourself off your boyf... oh I do beg your pardon, _personal assistant_ for a minute. Got something you need to hear. Sorry Jakey, this is for Marcus only." Mhairi patted Jake's arm on his way out and he ruffled her hair in revenge. 

Jake didn't see Marcus again until much later. At six he received a text from Marcus to say he was going to meet Hiram and don't wait up. At six-ten he waited outside the building until an unbadged car pulled up. The door opened and he got in.  
"Hi Steph, I brought some figures along."  
Steph frowned and nodded. "Good, we can look over those. We are going to my place, is that okay? It's secure. We can talk about anything without being recorded."  
Jake hovered his hand over the door handle. "Oh. I'm not sure—"  
"Seriously? Jake, I am one of Marcus's most trusted and highly paid employees. As are you. And whatever innuendo Marcus used after I left, ignore it. I assure you this is a business meeting."  
"Fine."  
"Besides," Steph glanced sideways at Jake. "You're sexy but not my type."  
Jake laughed. "Oh? Thanks I think. What is your type?"  
She grinned. "Someone who isn't fucking my boss. I need my job." 

Jake followed Steph into her home, a surprisingly modest house with a swing in the yard. Once inside, Steph ushered him through to the kitchen, took something wrapped in foil out of the refrigerator and put it in the oven.  
"Hmm, we got forty minutes." Steph held out her hand for the documents in Jake's possession. "Better let me see those figures and we can have a preliminary look at local buy-out options. I can offer you wine although we don't drink much."  
Jake raised an eyebrow. "We?"  
"I don't live alone. We won't be disturbed. My... companion knows you are here and will stay away." Steph fetched two glasses and a bottle of red wine from a cupboard. She half-filled both glasses and handed one to Jake.  
Jake smiled. "Thanks. Here is the figure Marcus suggests and his preferred businesses in town. As you can see, he really doesn't want to lose the best ice cream shop in Night Vale or his favourite club."  
"This is going to take some thought. And research, tracing back supply companies and looking for alternatives that are not under attack." Steph leafed through the document, scanning efficiently.  
Jake frowned. "Under attack? Isn't that a little over dramatic?"  
"Nope." Steph shook her head and shuddered. "I've seen it happen before. Over in Desert Bluffs." 

After dinner of reheated leftovers, which Jake was surprised to find delicious, and two hours of talking through finances, Jake felt both tired and muddled. Steph topped up his wine glass for the fourth or fifth time. Her own seemed to be always full, although Jake would swear he saw her sip frequently. He looked around for any hints of Steph’s personal life. There were none. No photographs, no belongings out of place, nothing.  
"Ugh. Marcus credits me with far too much business sense." He sat back on the sofa and closed his eyes.  
"You've been doing fine so far. Good for someone with no professional—“ Jake snapped to attention and stared at Steph. "Oh don't panic, Mhairi knows you flunked _Creative Accountancy_. And if Mhairi knows then so does Marcus and he doesn't care."  
Jake groaned. "We never talk about this stuff."  
Steph laughed. "So, the association of clients Marcus is out with tonight. Hiram, isn't it? What are they cooking up out in the desert, I wonder?"  
Jake would have been on his guard even without the sensation of movement at the corner of his eye and the soft skittering noise from the wall behind him. "Uh, he doesn't tell me anything about Hiram. Tells me not to bother my pretty little head with politics. I just organise his diary and take notes."  
"Politics, huh?" Jake cursed inwardly but forced a laugh.  
"Yeah. They meet up, get drunk, talk shit and call it _politics._ I should probably check in with Marcus to see if he has any other business demands." 

Jake stepped into the yard and sat on the rusty, faded swing to text Marcus. Marcus called him back straight away.  
"Heh. Got to second base yet? Need a map?"  
"Marcus, it's not a date. She made that very clear. No, she asked me about—"  
"Shut up! Hush! Sorry. You in her house?"  
"I'm out in her yard."  
"Okay, you can talk. Did she ask about Hiram? About, y'know, local politics? Feel watched when there was nobody there?"  
"How the fuck did you know!"  
"Heh. Meet you at home soon as we can both get there. Be careful." 

Jake returned to Steph's living room, stuck his head around the door from the hallway.  
"Hey, sorry, the boss needs me back. I called a cab to pick me up here."  
"Oh. Well, it'll be about thirty, forty minutes before it arrives. Wanna fuck?"  
Jake stuttered, eyebrows up and eyes wide. "Uh? Uh! Umm. Better not. Boss, you know. You said I wasn't your type."  
"Oh he won't find out so he won't care. I guess you grew on me."  
"Really, um, it's a real flattering offer but I can't. I hardly know you and you have... someone."  
Steph moved close, Jake stepped back. "They won't mind. In fact, it was their idea to invite you here. You going to tell me you never picked up a good looking stranger for sex? I know that's as much of a lie as _I just organise his diary_. Or are shy about being watched?"  
The flickering movement and skittering, scratching noise were back. Jake felt Steph's body touch his and his back pressed tight against the wall. He closed his eyes and swore at his body's obvious betrayal.  
"Oh what's this! Your dick knows what it wants even if your conscience disagrees for now. Where would you like me to put it, between my lips or between my legs? What can I do to..." Steph pressed her hips against Jake's erection, "...change your mind and make you stay?" Steph removed one of Jake’s hands from where it rested flat on the wall beside him and placed it on her chest. Her own hands snaked around behind Jake and massaged his buttocks. 

A double horn-blast from outside distracted Steph for long enough that Jake wriggled free and reached the front door. He bolted into the night, silently invoking the glowcloud to make the horn blast be from his cab. It wasn't. Jake walked uncomfortably along the roadside for a minute before a car drew level and the door opened. A familiar voice barked at him.  
"Get in."  
"Mhairi! Thank fuck!" Jake sat on the passenger seat and fastened his seatbelt. "Sorry, I had an intense evening."  
"I noticed. Did I hit the horn at a bad time? Should I have given you time to seal the deal? I wasn't sure which house was hers."  
"Ugh, a few minutes earlier would have been better. How did you know I needed an escape route?"  
"Okay, first, don't blame Marcus. It was my idea. Second, don't blame me, I thought you were a little less susceptible to the charms of a devastatingly intelligent and attractive, ambitious woman."  
"You, you set me up? You and Marcus sent me in there," Jake pointed back towards Steph's house, "and you KNEW this would happen?"  
Mhairi waved one hand, the other staying safely on the steering wheel. "No! No, of course I didn't _know._ If I'd known, Marcus would never have let you act as bait. As soon as you spoke he called me and told me to come get you out. How much did you drink?" 

Mhairi dropped Jake off outside Vansten Mansion and sped away. Jake went in to his own apartment and straight to the shower, dropping clothes en route. He stood under the shower until his finger skin wrinkled and the back of his shoulders felt tight. Jake stepped out, groped for a clean towel, wrapped it around himself and walked back towards his kitchen. A voice made him jump.  
"Heh. Sometimes that's what you need. Wash it all away or whatever."  
"Marcus! Shit, Marcus, what did you send me into? I thought... she wanted... ugh."  
"Mhairi get you out in one piece?" Jake nodded and sat beside Marcus. Marcus took a deep breath. "Good. I was worried you might—"  
Jake pulled the towel tighter and hugged himself. "Why didn't you tell me the real reason you wanted me to go to your accountant's house?"  
Marcus sat still, staring at his own knee. "If you knew, you would have acted different. Awkward, or suspicious. You might have been tempted to ask questions that warned her."  
"Is it safe to talk here?"  
"Yep, we got the right rituals and bloodstones in the basement as soon as I knew about her. Josie helped out."  
Jake sighed. "You think Steph is working for the Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives In Your Home. And you used me to find out. I think she is. So, well done you." 

Marcus nodded slowly. "Yep. Mmm. Sorry."  
Jake got up and went back into his bedroom. Marcus followed a couple of minutes later. Jake was almost fully dressed. Marcus frowned. "What are you doing?"  
Jake almost shouted. "I'm going OUT! Marcus, I need to be somewhere else for a while."  
Marcus pleaded, one arm out reaching for Jake. "Please stay. Talk to me. Or if you want I'll leave you alone. But don't go."  
Jake stood holding a shoe in one hand. Marcus could see the tremors shaking his arm. He reached over and took the shoe from Jake, dropped it and held him, murmuring _I'm sorry I'm sorry_ over and over.  
Jake clung to Marcus. He sighed and rested his head on Marcus's shoulder.  
"You did a shitty thing but I am so tired right now. I don't have the energy to process how I feel. Can we just go to bed, sleep and postpone this mess until tomorrow?"  
Marcus helped Jake undress and get into bed, kissed his forehead and went back to his own rooms. Jake lay awake as long as he could to avoid dreaming. 

Next morning Jake woke to see Marcus sitting on the end of his bed, eyes half closed.  
"I made coffee. Heh. I tried to make breakfast, turns out I can't, y'know, do that."  
"Uh. Thanks Marcus." Jake swung his legs out of bed and sat. He rubbed his face and scratched his head.  
"Cute, the way you do that."  
"Hmm? Coffee." Jake stood up and walked past Marcus to the living room with the kitchen corner. Marcus followed a few feet behind. They sat opposite each other at the little table.  
"You're real mad at me."  
"Mm-hmm." Jake nodded.  
"You gonna forgive me sometime?" Jake rolled his eyes. Marcus tried not to grin. He got up to refill their coffee mugs and planted a kiss on top of Jake's head. Jake yawned. 

They sat in silence for a while. Jake looked up and met Marcus’s concerned gaze.  
"Marcus, did you know she'd come on to me?"  
"Huh. No, I only thought she'd pump you for information, not—"  
"MARCUS!"  
"Heh. Sorry. Y'know. Habit. Whatever."  
Jake swallowed more coffee. "She pinned me up against the wall in her hallway, ground against me, grabbed my ass and asked where I'd like her to put my penis."  
Marcus’s eyebrows shot up and he blinked. "What? Shit!"  
"I was scared, Marcus." Jake examined his coffee. Marcus reached over to touch his arm.  
"I am so sorry. I had no clue she'd do anything like that. She has mentioned a woman she lives with so I thought... whatever."  
"A faceless old woman, Marcus."  
"Ah. Mhairi said she has been overheard sweet-talking an empty room. But you can, y'know, defend yourself. You could hold Earl off."  
Jake scowled. "Thanks. Thanks for spoiling a nice memory. Play fighting with Earl is different, I wanted to feel Earl against me. Marcus, I froze. I was horny and half-drunk and Steph was offering and... shit. If Mhairi had been much later I might have done it. I could see myself hoisting her up and fucking her against the wall while you-know-who watched." 

Marcus leaned back. "I think you would have resisted. I tease you all the time and I know you want to and I don't, but you know where to stop."  
"No, this was different. Sure you tease and it's, like, _real_ frustrating sometimes... stop grinning, Marcus, this is serious. You're playing, you’re not offering anything more than a make-out and I respect that. She was more than offering. I felt like... Ugh. The worst thing was that I would have done it eventually and to Hell with the consequences."  
Marcus frowned. "It would have been okay."  
"Huh?"  
"If you had. You want to have sex. I don't. There's a kind of logic in getting it somewhere else. I just want to know about it so I don't get any surprises."  
Jake stared. "Marcus? What the actual fuck are you suggesting?"  
Marcus shrugged. "That if you need to have sex, go find someone and fuck them."  
Jake banged down his coffee mug, got up and went into his bedroom, closing the door behind him. Marcus called after him, knocked on Jake’s door but got no reply. 

\-------------

Marcus arrived back at his office after yelling at Hiram to find Jake at his desk as usual. He smiled.  
“Heh. Sorry I was an asshole this morning. Take you to lunch? To apologise or, y’know, whatever?”  
Jake frowned. “No, Marcus. I rearranged your diary so you have the next hour or two free. We are going to sit in there,” Jake pointed at Marcus’s inner office, “and sort this out.”  
Marcus nodded and went into his office. Jake locked the door of his outer office, followed Marcus and locked his door too. He perched on the seat opposite Marcus’s desk.  
“Do you know why I was upset this morning?”  
“Uh, I said the wrong thing?” Jake cocked an eyebrow and made a rolling motion for _keep going_ with his hands. Marcus continued, looking up, eyes flicking left and right, then down at his fingernails. “Because I didn’t take you seriously when you said you almost had sex with Steph?” Jake did the hand signal again. “Jake, what else is there? Just tell me, don’t make me keep guessing or this could take all day.”  
Jake sighed and shrugged. “Okay. I have done my best to understand your sexuality, Marcus. I _don’t_ understand it completely, but it doesn’t matter. I don’t need to understand, just go with it. If you say _don’t do that_ , I don’t do it. And that’s fine. I respect your boundaries even if they’re not logical to me.”  
Marcus nodded. “Mmm, you do.”  
“But you don’t understand me. It’s time you tried.”  
Marcus stared at Jake. “What do you mean? You like it, you don’t get it from me, I thought you’d want to find someone else for, y'know, that.”  
“Do you think I only loved Earl for sex? Or that I don’t love you because you don’t want to fuck me?”  
“No! No, that’s not it. I know you loved Earl. You lit up when he was around.”  
“Do you think that I somehow _need_ sex, like I can’t cope without?  
Marcus shrugged and scratched his head. “I don’t know!”  
“Do you know that I love you, Marcus?”  
Marcus was quiet. He stared at the papers on his desk. Jake waited but got no reply.  
“I don’t want anybody else. There’s you and Earl and that’s all. Is it so difficult to get your head around it that I can love you without fucking you?” 

Marcus sat with his face in his hands. Jake sat back in his chair, watching Marcus.  
“Heh. Jake, are we going to be okay?”  
“I think so, as long as you don’t have any more stupid suggestions.” Jake dropped his voice and growled. ”I can, y’know, take care of myself or _whatever.”_  
Marcus snorted. Jake got up and took Marcus’s wrists, pulled his hands away from his face. “Are you going to stop treating me like some sex-crazed asshole?”  
“Heh. Yep.”  
Jake led Marcus to his executive sofa and sat him down. “What will you do about Steph?”  
Marcus scowled. “Nothing too obvious. Feed her some fake figures about Hiram’s business interests and try to make her _partner_ look incompetent and misinformed. If that doesn’t work I’m sure Green-head will have some ideas.”  
Jake shuddered. He had seen what Green-head could do. But he didn't protest. 

Jake checked his phone. "Huh. We got another half hour before I need to unlock those doors." He leaned back on the soft black leather and held Marcus's hand. Marcus clasped Jake's hand in both of his and leaned against his shoulder and closed his eyes.  
"Mmm. Whatcha wanna do with it?"  
"Cancel all the rest of your appointments and bunk off with you."  
"Heh! We've not done that in ages. Wanna drive me out somewhere?"  
Jake grinned. "Yeah, gotta make some calls first." Marcus pulled Jake into a lingering kiss and slipped both arms around his waist.  
"I do, y'know, know."  
"Oh? What?"  
"That you love me. That time I asked you... whatever. First person I've trusted enough to _touch_ or whatever in five years." Jake smiled, stroked Marcus's face and kissed him, eyes closed, focused on the feeling. Marcus sighed. "Sometimes I say stupid things because I'm, heh, scared you'll leave. I made a mess of asking you something real important once before but I gotta face that Earl's gone and it's just you and me and... Umm—"  
Jake got up and pulled Marcus up beside him. "Come on, I'll bring the Porsche to the front. Get ready to make an exit fit for the gossip column. I'll let you get handsy over the hardtop and call you _sir_ while you act like a jerk."  
Marcus smiled and stroked Jake's hair. "Heh. Not today." He sighed. "I'm tired of it. Ugh. I can't abandon this afternoon. Jake, we got hard times coming and we gotta be prepared." 


	13. Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marcus re-organises his closest employees, moving Jake to work with his lawyer. Mhairi organises another headline-grabbing publicity stunt but Marcus has his own ideas about what the headline should be. 
> 
> Jake wants to say yes, but Marcus keeps asking the wrong question.

_Six months!_  
Jake swore. Six months since he had last seen Earl, made a _gotta love a man in uniform_ joke with Marcus, casually kissed goodbye and called _see ya later._ Marcus reached over and took his hand.  
“Heh. I miss him too.”  
Jake squeezed Marcus’s hand. “I know.”  
"I want to stay down here but, ugh, no air con. Heh. Furnace room."  
"At least the computers are working properly again. Jeez, Marcus, I thought all your data was compromised. That would have been bad. An unseasonable heatwave is nothing in comparison. Ugh, I’m hot"  
“Mmm. You are.” Marcus grinned. “Know what would be even hotter?”  
“Marcus, if this is stupid innuendo I’m too exhausted to react.” Jake sat forwards and pulled the fabric of his shirt away from his skin. Marcus shook his head and touched the top pocket of his robe.  
“No, no. I want to ask you something. I think we... Uh, Jake, would you—“ Jake frowned and spoke over Marcus. "Can we go back upstairs now? I can think about Earl in comfort when I'm cool."  
Marcus sighed, picked up the photo album and stood. "Mmm yep. This is Hell."

\-----------

The heatwave didn't last more than a day. Marcus and Jake went back to work to find not everybody had such a lazy day. The lawyer nobody acknowledged waited in Marcus's office, fingers tapping an impatient staccato.  
"Mr Vansten, Jake," the lawyer nodded at Jake but directed attention back to Marcus. "These offers you wanted me to look over. They are all seemingly from different companies and for different parts of Vansten Industries and all similarly borderline legal. They look attractive on the surface but the conditions are impossible. If you agree to any property deals with these people you'll end up with nothing. Or less. I strongly advise that you do not do business with any of these companies and call me in to examine every offer."  
"Heh. Not born yesterday. Bubo, our Jake traced a whole bunch of companies back to one parent, StrexCorp Synernists Incorporated. Got any, y'know, dirt, or whatever?"  
The lawyer shrugged. "I hear stories, Mr Vansten, but anecdote is not evidence. I will see what I can find out."  
Marcus shuffled papers on his desk. "Heh. Discreetly or whatever. Got another job for you. And you, Jake."  
Both heads turned to face Marcus. Both faces formed _Oh?_  
"Mmm yep. Jake I need your head for figures but you flunked accountancy in college so I need you, Bubo, to keep him on, y'know, the right side of legal. Think you can work together to keep me solvent? Or whatever."  
Bubo flicked a brief glance at Jake with raised eyebrows and a slight sneer. "I recommend you appoint a new personal accountant, Mr Vansten. Tutoring Jake will mean overtime and I am expensive."  
Marcus smiled and nodded. "Mmm. Keep you busy and well paid. That's how I know you're not, y’know, cheating me or working for someone else. Log your hours with Mhairi as usual. Start now? Jake, call Mhairi in here. She can do whatever it is you normally do for me. Heh." Marcus winked. "Mostly."

Jake followed Bubo out of the office, along the corridor, into Marcus's private elevator, down one floor and into a spacious corner office almost as large as Marcus's directly above. Bubo pointed at a chair.  
"Sit."  
Jake sat. Bubo perched on a chair at the other side of the table and leaned forwards, peering over the glasses that rested on a slender nose.  
"Just so there is no misunderstanding, I think Mr Vansten is making a mistake trusting you with his personal accounts. I resent having to babysit you and correct your inevitable mistakes. Do what I tell you and nothing else. Marc... Mr Vansten is under enough pressure without financial compromise caused by amateur meddling."  
Jake scowled. "This is not my idea of fun either but my contract says I use my time as _Mr Vansten_ directs. It's my job to work the figures, yours to make sure I don't screw up." Bubo stared at Jake. Jake continued, "I studied the files from his previous accountant's computer. It looks straightforward. I know how the spreadsheets work, just not the law."  
Bubo blinked. "Funny how Steph left like that. No leaving party. You'd think a valued personal employee would merit an expensive sendoff."  
Jake paused, pretending to think. “I suppose you guys must have worked quite closely together. I heard she got a new position." He smiled. "In Desert Bluffs."  
Jake wasn't sure but he thought Bubo blinked at mention of their neighbours.  
"You work in here now, the accountancy cube-farm is not secure enough." Bubo pointed at a computer terminal in the corner. "Don't chatter to me."

\------

"What's this?" Marcus pointed at a tub of greige sludge.  
"Baba ganoush. The other one is hummus. I know it's not what you're used to but I thought I ought to make an effort. Family recipes." Jake smiled as Marcus eyed the dishes as if they were about to attack. "If you prefer, I can send out for something."  
"No, no. Heh." Marcus shrugged and smiled. "You have family? You don't, y'know, talk about them."  
" _Had_. Not _have._ I can't imagine you with parents either. I know you _must_ have been born and been a snotty little kid once, but I can't picture it."  
"Heh. There is no evidence. Closest I have to family now is you and Mhairi, maybe Josie counts, I've known her since... whatever."  
"How is Mhairi settling in as your assistant?" Jake grinned.  
"She takes things very seriously. Tells me off constantly. Heh. Forgot it wasn't you out there today and yelled _bring me something hot and sweet_. I got café-mocha. How are you getting along with Bubo?"  
Jake snorted. "Did you expect Mhairi to sit in your lap and kiss you? Bubo's easy to work with now I'm over the shock of working with someone who says exactly what they think and expects me to do the same. That's not, like, their real name, right? Means _Eagle Owl._ "  
"Chosen name not given name. Whatever. Must, y'know, like you. Hasn't come to persuade me with legalese to get rid of you. Yet. Talk to you much?"  
"Marcus, Bubo has me working at a standalone computer terminal facing the wall, confiscates my phone and won't let me speak unless it's related to your accounts. I swear I am going mad with boredom."

Marcus sighed. "I miss you, y'know, miss having you around."  
"It's just for a while, right?" Jake frowned.  
"Of course!" Marcus rushed a promise, "I'll find an accountant I trust once all this stuff with StrexCorp settles down. They must give up eventually."  
"I'm not so sure, Marcus. Bubo says they took over Desert Bluffs gradually but relentlessly, nobody noticed until it was way too late. They got real close to a monopoly then paid everyone in scrip to drive the remaining independents out of business."  
"Huh. Makes good business sense. I think Vansten Industries is big enough to fend them off and Hiram has just the right level of, y’know, moral flexibility to… Heh. Whatever."

Jake took a call from Mhairi as Marcus poked a finger into the suspicious looking dip and examined it. Marcus hesitated as Jake sighed, rolled his eyes and growled _Oh whatever, he’ll be there._ Jake laughed as Marcus licked his finger and screwed his eyes closed.  
“Stop, you don’t have to eat that. Mhairi has analysed your monthly publicity stats and says your media coverage needs a boost. I have to take you to a nice restaurant where there will be some inappropriate companions waiting for you and, of course, the usual range of reporters and bloggers lurking on nearby rooftops and neighbouring tables.”  
Marcus groaned. “Ugh, do I have to? There must be a better way of keeping my name and face known.”  
“Hey, even the Glowcloud has a silver lining, you get to eat out instead of suffering my attempts at cooking. I’m not included in the reservation, I’ll wait in a coffee shop nearby. Call when you need me to pick you up.”  
Marcus leered at Jake. “Heh. Do I trust you out on your own around the barista district? You sure it’s me you’ll pick up and take home with you?”

Mhairi scowled at Jake as he held the Porsche door open and offered Marcus a hand to help him out of the low seat. She looked Jake up and down before staring at Marcus.  
“You do know the purpose of this evening?”  
Jake shrugged. “He changed his mind, said it was up to him.”  
Marcus cleared his throat. “I'm, y’know, right here while you talk about me. Jake, leave the car there. Mhairi, you can see that Jake here is stunning, right?” Marcus stared at Mhairi, who stared back and scowled deeper at Marcus.  
“Marcus, you need a pretty outrageous scandal to entertain the news bloggers. Nobody wants to read about you going out on a nice quiet date with your boyfriend. Even if he is wearing... Jake, what the fuck, does that look have a name?”  
Jake laughed. "It's a suit, Mhairi. Very well tailored. I didn't have a shirt and tie to match so Marcus suggested not wearing either."  
Marcus smiled. "Trust me, I'll give them a story." He took Jake's arm and entered the restaurant, smiling as eyes strayed to the slender, deep vee of Jake's skin visible between the lapels of his close fitting jacket. Marcus led Jake to a table where two escorts sat at right angles to each other, waiting to play their parts.  
"It's Jamie, isn't it? And Alex? You been briefed?” The escorts nodded. “Mmm. Change of plan.” Marcus winked at Jamie. “Need to talk to you.” He got up and led Jamie out of the restaurant. Alex looked across the table at Jake, who shrugged and studied the menu. Marcus led Jamie back a few minutes later. He leaned over, kissed Jake behind his ear and whispered _whatever, y'know, go along with it._

Marcus barely looked at the menu before announcing, “Heh, Jake here knows what I want in my mouth tonight.”  
Jake rolled his eyes. “Marcus, choose something. Is it hard? You need a hand?”  
Marcus grinned and squeezed Jake’s knee under the table. Jake froze as a different hand touched his other knee and slid up his thigh. He blocked the progress of Jamie’s hand with his own and turned to Marcus, leaned in to speak.  
_“Really?”_ Jake lifted Jamie’s hand off his leg.  
“Mmm yep. Relax. Jamie knows the rules.” Marcus placed a light touch on Jake’s jaw with his other hand and kissed him, lingering until he saw through half-closed eyelids that diners at neighbouring tables had their phones pointing towards him. He planted a quick kiss in front of Jake’s ear. _Put that back._ Jake sat back, returned Jamie’s hand to his knee and frowned at him. Jamie smiled in return, beckoned him to lean closer and murmured _jeez, it’s just a show, should be over real quick then we’ll go._  
Marcus laughed at Jake’s expression. “Heh, Jamie, hands off my Jake." Jake raised one eyebrow at Marcus. Marcus only smiled, took Alex's hand and led her away. Jamie leaned close to Jake.  
"Uh, did Mr Vansten tell you what he wanted us to do tonight?"  
Jake shook his head. "Did it involve you feeling my leg? Because--"  
"No." Jamie bit his lip. "Sorry about that. You look real hot in that outfit. Mr Vansten chose it, right?" Jake laughed and nodded. "You and Mr Vansten are not like our usual clients. If you want to, later, I mean, when the press have what they want, I could make you... He said I could ask you if you wanted me to do anything, umm, extra and it would be okay."  
"No!" Jake almost spat the word. "I can't. I don't want that. No offence but--"  
Jamie sat back with a smile that reached his eyes. "Great! Fine by me. Is the garlic sauce here any good? Only if you were interested in, umm, extending my contract for the evening I'd have to order something boring."

Marcus brought Alex back about twenty three minutes and eighteen seconds later by the clock on Jake's phone. Alex sat, eyes on Marcus. Jamie winked at Jake and took a deep breath.

Jake watched the reporters and bloggers filming the daytime-TV argument between Marcus, Jamie and Alex. Jamie shouted at Alex for fucking Marcus. Alex countered that she had every right to do as she pleased and anyway Marcus was super hot and really good in bed, or up against the cloakroom wall. Jake stifled a giggle, imagining Marcus in the position Alex so graphically described whilst complaining about his sciatica. Marcus joined in, avoiding eye contact with Jake, yelling that it was just sex and was Jamie jealous because he'd happily bend him over the hood of the Porsche later and...  
Jake pushed his seat back and left the table. He made it to the restrooms before heaving and sobbing with silent gasps of laughter. A few minutes later Jake heard a tap on the door.  
"Heh. You okay in there?" Jake opened the door just wide enough to let Marcus in then locked it again. "Oh! Jake, Jake, that was all, y'know, for show." Marcus wiped Jake's damp face with the back of his fingers. Jake met Marcus's concerned gaze and felt laughter bubble up again. Marcus grinned and hugged him. "Shit, Jake, that was perfect. Heh. Looked like my boyfriend ran off crying." Marcus kissed Jake and leaned their foreheads together. "Heh. I was convinced too."  
Jake closed his eyed, concentrated on his breathing. "You been taking lessons from _Domestic Dramas Daily with Dianne?_ Think you'll get invited on her show?"  
"Heh, bet Mhairi could arrange it. Come back out with me. Have dinner?" Marcus turned Jake around and put his arms around Jake's waist, hugging him from behind. He slipped one hand into the open vee of Jake's jacket to stroke skin and make Jake shiver. "Mmm, we're still on show when we go back out there. Permission to get a little handsy?"  
Jake took three deep breaths and nodded.

\-----------

Jake held the car door for Marcus, saw him settled and slid into the driver's seat. Jake arranged a scowl.  
"Stop grinning." But Jake couldn't help smiling at Marcus.  
"Heh. Whatever."  
"I am taking you home and we are going to talk about what just happened."  
"No, not home yet. Drive me somewhere. Somewhere real quiet."  
Jake started the car. "Okay. I know just the place." He grinned at Marcus, headed out of town and floored the accelerator.

Jake offered Marcus an arm. Marcus held on and allowed Jake to half-pull him out of the passenger seat.  
"Ugh, Jake, you should get a more practical car. These are priced for my age group but designed for yours. I am going to be so stiff tomorrow--"  
Jake sniggered. "Really, Marcus? You don't look more than ten years older than me, although I can see from here that you're much stiffer. C'mon, a walk will help you loosen up, grandpa."  
"Heh. So would a spa day. Whatever. Where you taking me? When I said somewhere quiet I meant, y'know, a private room at one of my bars."  
"Not far, Marcus. You carry the flashlight."  
Marcus took the flashlight from Jake. Jake took Marcus's other hand. They walked slowly amongst the creosote bushes for a few minutes.  
"Ugh, Jake, c'mon. Seriously, whatever. Middle of the night, middle of nowhere."  
Jake smiled and put his arms around Marcus's waist. "We're here, just needed to get clear of the highway. Turn the light off and close your eyes. Open them when I say."  
Marcus did as he was asked. He rested his head on Jake's shoulder. Jake held him and swayed slightly.  
"Heh, Jake, are you dancing?"  
"Might be. Got a [song](http://youtu.be/j0BddRXMCe8) stuck in my head."  
"Heh."  
"Okay, open your eyes and look up."  
Marcus laughed at the lights above them. "I never noticed the lights before. What are they?"  
"I have no idea. You can see them from the park in town on a real dark night. I can't tell if they are tiny little bugs flying around at an arm's length away or huge alien flying machines miles away. Do they know we're here watching them? Do they watch us back?"  
"Mmm, Jake, don't, y'know, talk about that stuff to anyone else. People who've _seen the light_... Mmm-nope... whatever."

Marcus demanded to be taken home. Jake led him back to the car and helped him in. Back at Vansten Mansion, Jake almost carried Marcus into his apartment and laid him groaning on the sofa. Jake rested a hand on Marcus's shoulder.  
"Is it worse than usual tonight? Need anything?"  
"Mmm yep. Get me out of this suit and help me stretch."  
Jake removed his own suit, eased Marcus's clothing from him, massaged his lower back and glutes, held him steady and provided resistance while Marcus contorted to push his range of motion back toward normal.  
"Heh. If those photographers could see this we'd be on the front page tomorrow."  
Jake snorted. _"Petulant PA Provides Painful Punishment"_  
"Mmm yep. _Beautiful Boyfriend Bends Billionaire Backward._ "  
Jake frowned. "We still need to talk about tonight, Marcus." He leaned to murmur into Marcus's ear. "Before we see _PA Slips Finger Into Vansten's Ring._ "  
Marcus choked a laugh. "Jake, I swear you're worse than me."

Jake sat back on his heels. "Any better?"  
Marcus slowly moved, twisting his torso left and right as far as he could. "Mmm. Yes. I am glad to have your hands on my staff."  
"Oh, are we still at work?"  
"What? No! Wait, didn't we, y'know, have this conversation before one time?"  
Jake grinned. "Aw Marcus, you thinking about the first time you kissed me?"  
"Heh. You kissed me then you threw me out!"  
Jake looked at his left hand. He twisted the ring he knew he had to give back soon. "So, when you disappeared with lovely Alex, what did you do for twenty three minutes?"  
"Heh. Not what Jamie was paid to accuse us of! No, she's a remedial massage therapist. She bent me over the cloakroom counter and got my lumbar region fit for what I did next."  
"You let her touch your ass?"  
"Trust me, Jake, it wasn't sexy. She used her elbow and a whole lotta bodyweight. Fuck it hurt, heh, but heaven when she stopped."  
Jake grinned. "I might call her and ask her to teach me. So... what happened next."  
Marcus shrugged. "You were there. Melodramatic fight, you ran off, I went after you, they went home, I brought you back, we had dinner."  
Jake slapped Marcus's backside hard enough to make a noise but not sting. "You know what I'm talking about!"  
"Oh that. Mm-hmm. I slid off my chair, took your hand and asked if you would, y'know, whatever."  
"Marcus, you asked me to marry you."  
"And you said yes, so I gave you a ring. You let me put it on your finger. It's y'know, traditional. The bloggers will eat it up. Then you helped me get up again."  
"Oh." Jake twisted the ring off his finger and held it out. "I suppose you better have this back."

Marcus stared for a few seconds before reaching out to take the ring. He sat upright and held his other hand out for Jake. Jake took Marcus's hand but didn't speak, didn't make eye contact. Marcus lifted Jake's hand and kissed it.  
"Jake, I can't get on the floor again to do this but I've been trying to ask you for weeks. I'm sorry I made an exhibition out of it. I guess I'm bad at the important stuff. Y'know, the big questions. Jake, look at me? Please?"  
Jake dragged his eyes up to meet Marcus's gaze. He shook his head slowly and closed his eyes.  
"Marcus, don't. Not tonight."  
Marcus squeezed Jake's hand. "Mmm. Okay." He slipped the ring into his pocket. "I got it for you. Seems fair you should have it. I'm wearing yours." Jake smiled when he saw the gold and onyx band he gave his boss so long ago.  
"Marcus?"  
"Mm-hmm?"  
"Is there an alternative?"

Marcus frowned. "An alternative to what?"  
Jake shrugged. "Getting married. Tradition."  
"I don't get it."  
"Say you ask me properly, not part of some publicity stunt, and I say yes. We get married and that's great, real great. And in a while Earl shows up and finds we've moved on. Without him. That would suck."  
"Mmm. See what you mean, although I doubt--"

Jake held a hand up, palm facing Marcus. "Uh-uh, don't finish that sentence. Is there anything legal that allows Earl to join us? There must be something."

Marcus sighed. "I doubt it."  
"Then we have to do our own thing."  
Marcus grinned. "Heh, Jake, did you just kinda say you'd say yes? To, y'know, something?" Jake laughed.  
"Jake, help me upstairs. I need sleep. Tomorrow I would like to take you out somewhere nice after work. Heh. Meet me in my elevator at six."


	14. Rule

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marcus has dangerous plans. He tries to protect Jake by not telling him the reasons for his actions but Jake figures it out. And Jake has an important question of his own.

Bubo was furious, although it only showed in a slight twitch and clipped speech. Jake listened in to half of a telephone conversation.  
_Mr Vansten, there are far more pressing legal matters to occupy my time--_  
_But you could assign that to one of the juniors. It is a civil matter, not of interest to a commercial lawyer--_  
_That is flattering, but you must decide what your priority is. Company law related to your interest in--_  
_Huh. I think you are deluded but I will use my very expensive time as you dictate._  
Jake watched the reflection on his screen as Bubo slammed the phone down then straightened its position on the desk. He became aware that Bubo was frowning at him. Jake turned.  
"Trouble with Marcus?"  
"He is wasting my time investigating family law relating to civil partnerships. I will devote two hours to it then return to my real work. He claims to have researched it himself, which for Mr Vansten probably means he did an internet search and failed to find the answer on the first page. Have you finished entering the overnights?"  
Jake grinned and mentally filed the response he would give Marcus to a question like that. 

Jake's pocket vibrated silently. He excused himself, promising that the overnight data was processing and could be left for a few minutes, offered to fetch coffee and escaped Bubo's office. Out of sight, he retrieved the phone Marcus had posted through his apartment door one night the previous week between saying goodnight and texting good morning.  
_Come here now_  
Jake ran up the stairs and along the corridor to Marcus's office. Marcus and Mhairi were staring out of the window into the square below.  
"Look!" Marcus pointed. Jake looked. In the square stood a teenage girl, holding the crowd's attention and what looked like a prop from a horror movie. "I sent a couple runners out to find out what's going on. Oh!"  
Jake watched as yellow helicopters landed on roofs and figures in grey jackets bearing a yellow triangle logo entered the square from several side streets. The crowd swarmed around the teenager, blocking the progress of the yellow triangles until they were physically forced to move aside. By the time the crowd dispersed, the girl was long gone.  
"StrexCorp has a few more acquisitions. They bought out all the private security firms except for Hiram's, thankfully Bluey is smart, Grey listens and Goldie is very persuasive when Greeny and Purp... Violet back him up. StrexCorp even bought out the local radio station. Y'know, the one with Earl's friend doing that funny show where he makes up those weird allegorical tales and talks about his boyfriend all the time. Heh. Bet he'll love being given propaganda to announce."  
"Huh. Anything more Bubo needs to know about?"  
"I'll call later. Too busy with a special project right now." 

Jake returned to his workstation. The spreadsheet had finished calculating and he called Bubo over to check his work. The lawyer cross referenced figures with a file on a tablet and nodded. Bubo patted Jake on the shoulder twice and returned to Marcus's special project. 

Jake waited by the elevator doors at six exactly. He smiled as the down arrow lit up and the mechanism hummed. The doors opened and Marcus waved him in. As soon as the doors closed Marcus wrapped his arms around Jake.  
"Heh. We postponed this too many times. We got, what, two minutes? Mmm. Wanna say hello properly?"  
Jake laughed and hit the stop button. He combed his fingers into Marcus's hair, held his head and kissed him. By the time the doors opened in the basement, Jake's tie was in Marcus's left hand and Marcus's right hand was sneaking up under Jake's shirt. Jake broke the kiss to whisper.  
_Marcus? Doors are open. People are watching._  
_Heh! Better put your hands on my ass then._  
Jake kissed Marcus again, slid both hands down Marcus's back to his ass and pulled him close.  
_Mmm, missed this!_  
_Heh. Did you bring the Porsche?_  
_No, the Landy, the one with the sports seats._  
_My hip joint says thank you. C'mon._

Jake drove out of the underground garage. He shot a glance at Marcus. "Where to?"  
Marcus smiled. "Home."  
Jake frowned. "Oh, I thought you said you were taking me somewhere nice for dinner, but home is pretty nice."  
Marcus smiled and rested a hand on Jake's knee. "Mmm yep. Home. The only independent restaurants left are mine, and Big Rico's. I'm not financing StrexCorp by spending cash at their establishments."  
"We could go to one of yours?"  
Marcus sighed. "Nope. Don't wanna be reminded that the citizens are feeling the squeeze and I might have to close down or repurpose a few places. I want a night away from all of that." 

Marcus led Jake up to his rooms. He stopped halfway up the stairs.  
"Uh, you want to get changed in your apartment then come up?"  
"I can do that if you prefer."  
Marcus turned to face Jake. "No, I want you to come right up. I've missed you this week. We've hardly been together and I don't know why."  
Jake tucked an arm around Marcus and continued upstairs. Marcus held the door and ushered Jake inside. Jake laughed. The living room and dining room surfaces were filled with flowers and candles, apart from a corner of the dining room which was set for two.  
"Marcus, did you organise this?"  
"Might've had, y'know, help. Or whatever."  
"Remind me to thank Mhairi. I'm sorry, Marcus, things have been getting to me lately. I needed a little distance, I hardly know some days where you end and I begin. You moved me out of your office and put this date off five times and that's okay, guess you need me a little further away too. I expect you must be stressed, I know from your accounts what's going on in town. An external company investing in Night Vale ought to be bringing money in, but we're being sucked dry."  
"Ugh. Don't wanna talk about that tonight."  
"You could so easily pack up and move on, sell out. But you won't. I know you're planning something big, I can see patterns in your cashflow, making your wealth available. Maybe getting ready for a major bid? Does Bubo know?"  
"Heh. No and don't even hint. It's just me. This is why I put you on my accounts, y'know, confidentiality reasons, but I should have given you more credit for intelligence, whatever. You'll need more information soon, but the less you know... C'mon, no more work talk! Can I, y'know, trust you to trust me for now?" 

They sat in matching robes eating take out. "Jake, I said drop it. Please." Marcus took another mouthful of _Big Rico's Special Spinach Ricotta Topping_. "Mmm. Try this."  
Jake sighed and threw his hands up, waving them to indicate size. "But this is enormous! I can see why you didn't tell me and I wish I hadn't worked it out. I need to talk about it, otherwise when I see your accounts in the morning and Bubo asks _did you enter all the overnights_ ," Jake paused, sniggering, while Marcus spluttered and coughed. "If I don't get this out of my system now I'll be all jumpy tomorrow and Bubo will go lawyer on my ass."  
"Heh. If Bubo goes anywhere near your ass--"  
"Marcus! Please!"  
Marcus rolled his eyes and sighed. "Okay. Six minutes of work talk. Set your timer."  
Jake grinned. "I can't believe you're planning to buy them out! Turn their own strategies back on them! Shit, if they find out even a hint in advance you're toast. I can't decide whether you're the bravest billionaire on the planet or the dumbest! There's no middle ground, Marcus, no negotiating, either you come out of this with everything or with nothing!"  
"Heh. Bravest _and_ dumbest. If it all goes sour, if I lose it all, will I lose you too?"  
"No, you won't lose me. And you won't lose everything." Marcus stopped eating and waited for Jake to elaborate after he attacked the _Tomato Chilli Supernova Sauce_. "Our new house is almost ready. It made financial sense to put it in my name jointly with Earl. Tax and stuff. So, technically, Earl and I have a house paid for with cash so you won't be homeless. I promise not to charge you much rent-- HEY!" Jake dodged too late as a chunk of spinach and ricotta splatted onto his face. 

Marcus laughed. "You got two minutes left." Jake wiped his face.  
"Okay. Initial thoughts? If I want to protect you from the worst, you have to transfer my five percent of Vansten Industries back to yourself. And Earl's too or they could seize the house. Our finances must be completely separate. I have enough saved independently for us to live on for a while unless Strex buys out the bank. Just means we can't get married before whatever happens, happens."  
"Huh. I need to run some hypothetical scenarios past Bubo. Josie and Mhairi might be affected. In the meantime, can you quietly empty that account? I think a shoebox under your bed is probably a more stable investment right now. Hiram and I are working on an alternative to the Only Bank of Night Vale. It's a tough target, but an obvious one."  
"I heard Josie disappeared. I thought maybe StrexCorp wanted her out of the way."  
"Heh. Josie's a survivor. Wherever she's gone to wait this out, she's not with them. She has the angels on her side."  
Jake leapt out of his seat to hug Marcus as he wept. 

Later, they moved to the living room and listened to the radio. They heard about the teenager's speech to the citizens and her escape. They held their breath and each other as the man on the radio said _Earl Harlan._  
"I can imagine Earl taking a phone apart just to see what's inside."  
"Heh. Yep. And putting it back together better."  
"Yeah. He made us better."  
"Mm-hmm. You really think he's coming back?"  
"You really think he's not? We can't get married anyway."  
"Mmm."  
Jake stood up and stretched. He turned to face Marcus and got down on one knee.  
"Marcus, it's not fair of me to expect you to offer me what I want when I hardly know myself. Marcus my love, will you spend the rest of your life with me? Make me laugh with stupid innuendo and bad puns? In return I promise to look after you and groan at even your worst jokes."  
Marcus smiled and took Jake's hand, patted his lap.  
"Sit up here." Jake settled astride Marcus's lap and kissed him. "Mmm. Yep. Since _you_ asked _me_ , do I get to put my finger in your ring?"  
Jake snorted and kissed Marcus again, with a little more enthusiasm than Marcus was used to. "Anything you want, Marcus." He held out a box, flicked it open. "Here." Marcus stared at the modestly slim gold band, slightly worn, engraved with a delicate pattern of feathers.  
"Jake! It's so beautiful! Where did you get it?"  
"It's a family thing. I've always had it. Hope it fits you."  
Marcus slipped Jake's ring on his finger, relieved to find its curved profile made it a comfortable fit. He took the one he had tried to give Jake so many times out of his pocket and put it on Jake's hand.  
"Heh. Wanna make out with your handsome, rich _non-fiancé_ , or whatever? While he's still, y'know, rich?" 

Jake _mm-hmm_ -ed and got up, offering Marcus both hands to help him up from the sofa. They walked hand in hand to the bedroom.  
"Marcus, what do you want to do?" Jake stroked Marcus's cheek and waited for a reply.  
"Heh. Can I tease you to the point where you can't keep your hands off yourself?"  
Jake laughed. "Fuck, yes. What can I do to you?"  
"Mmm. What I'd really like is to see your happy face then have a slow back massage with the new oil you got me."  
"I'd like that, see if I can make you relax." Jake felt Marcus's hands trail down his chest, making him shiver. Marcus pulled at the cord of Jake's robe, raised his eyebrows at Jake and grinned. Jake laughed and nodded. 

"Comfortable?"  
"Yes."  
"Can you see?"  
"Not a thing, Marcus."  
"Wow this is easy, you're hard."  
Jake laughed. "Honey, you got me blindfolded and tied to your bed by the wrists. I have no idea what you're planning for me but my mind is filling in the blanks."  
"Heh." Marcus traced fingers from Jake's shoulders to his hips and back up again. Jake's skin responded with hardened nipples and gooseflesh. "Where do you want me to touch you first?"  
"Mmm. Everywhere." 

Marcus smiled as he explored Jake's skin. He found that dragging teeth gently across Jake's neck made him giggle and that circling slicked fingers around his nipples made him arch, but sucking and biting on them made Jake hiss and pull at his restraints. Marcus moved down. He kissed Jake's stomach and let his hand reach down to Jake's knee, stroking slowly up his inner thigh. Marcus repeated on Jake's other leg, noting the position that made Jake's cock twitch with anticipation of a touch that didn't happen.  
Marcus shifted into position between Jake's legs, sitting back on his heels and placing one hand on each of Jake's knees, pushing his legs further apart. He slowly slid flat palms up Jake's thighs until his fingers reached Jake's hips and his thumbs rested close to Jake's perineum. Jake swore. Marcus laughed.  
"Mmm yep, I promised I'd tease. Want a hand free?"  
"Yesplease!"  
"Well you're not allowed yet. I'm not done playing with you."  
"Marcus!" Jake arched and groaned and twisted. Marcus kept his hands still on Jake's hips, preventing Jake from causing premature contact. He pressed Jake's hips down onto the bed, leaned over and kissed his stomach, blowing gently across his skin before releasing Jake and rolling to the side.  
"Can you flip over?"  
Jake pulled the knots at his wrists and freed his arms. He positioned himself on his front with his arms under his head. Marcus stroked gentle hands from Jake's ankles up to his ass, pausing to nuzzle the backs of Jake's knees and make him writhe. Marcus continued stroking over the curve of Jake's buttocks and back, up to his shoulders. He lay full length on Jake's back and kissed the side of his neck. Jake rolled Marcus off and removed his blindfold.  
Marcus propped himself up on one elbow. "You okay?"  
"Mmm. Need to, y'know. If I lie here can you touch me while I finish this?" Marcus nodded, handed Jake a condom. Jake took it. "You really hate semen, don't you?"  
"Yep, and saliva. Body fluids in general."  
Jake shrugged and clasped a hand around his shaft. Marcus stroked Jake's chest then moved his hands down to stroke Jake's balls and rub a finger across his perineum, causing Jake to come hard, head back and mouth open, panting his name.  
After half a minute, Jake grinned. "I wasn't expecting that."  
Marcus laughed. "It wasn't planned. You just looked, dunno, like you needed help. Kinda grumpy." 

"Marcus, your turn. Face down?" Marcus let Jake position pillows under his hips and his ankles. Jake did his best to warm the oil in his hands before applying it in long, slow movements to Marcus's body from the backs of his knees to his shoulders. Marcus whimpered at the first touch anyway.  
Jake worked on Marcus's hamstring muscles, stroking and kneading. Marcus groaned quietly now and then. Jake moved up to Marcus's buttocks, waiting for him to freeze or ask to stop. Marcus remained relaxed, breathing evenly.  
"You okay with this?"  
"Mmm yep. This feels nice."  
"Huh." Jake continued with small movements of his fingers and thumbs along Marcus's gluteal muscles, spaced between big, sweeping flat of hand circles.  
"Mmm. Uh..."  
"Marcus?"  
"Stay still, don't take your hands off, just stay still for a minute."  
Marcus shifted, put a hand under himself to adjust the pillow under his hips. Jake didn't move. He looked at the position of his hands. His thumbs were almost, but not quite, in the cleft between Marcus's buttocks. He slid his hands farther apart.  
"Oh! Sorry Marcus, I didn't notice, I didn't mean to do that. Should I stop for a while?"  
"Heh. No, keep going. I, um, kinda like this."  
Jake smiled and resumed the circular massage movements, getting gradually closer to Marcus's absolute-no-touch zone.  
"Bankrupt!"  
Jake stopped, lifted his hands off Marcus and sat back. Marcus sat up and reached for a condom. 

Later, after a lazy shared shower and a glass of wine, Marcus answered the question Jake was nervous of asking.  
"Mmm. Might be confusing. Heh. Is to me anyway. If we're making out, I don't want you to touch me there. My ass, yes fine, but not... there. Tonight was kinda gradual, and it felt nice. I knew you were only giving a massage, no expectations, or whatever. But the closer you got the more I thought you might, umm..."  
Jake smiled and waggled an eyebrow. "Stick my thumb in your butt-hole?"  
Marcus laughed. "Yeah. That. That rule stands whatever I say in the heat of the moment. Nothing goes in there. Ever."  
Jake nodded. "Understood. Honestly, I did think about feeling for your prostate, but you've said no before and that still applies. If you hadn't stopped me I might have touched around there to see if you liked the feeling. Are you telling me that if we're in the same position again and you ask me to finger you, I shouldn't do it?"  
Marcus gave a tight-lipped nod. "Yup. Don't ever do it."  
Jake smiled and kissed Marcus's frown. "You said no, so I won't."  
"You're, y'know, okay with my rules?"  
"Of course! You accept mine."  
Marcus stared. "Jake, do you even have any?"  
Jake laughed. "Yes. They just never came up with you or Earl. Informed consent. No pain. No toys. No humiliation. No anal without a condom, don't mix alcohol or drugs with restraints and I don't care how good anyone says it feels, there are places tongues just shouldn't go."  
"Jeez, Jake, one of these days we have to have a chat about your wild youth! Why would you need to make a rule about consent!"  
Jake laughed. "It's fine, Marcus, I've not had a wild youth for years." 

Marcus asked Jake to stay and Jake stayed. Curled up around each other, almost asleep, Jake snuggled in. Marcus only just caught his words.  
_I lost Earl. I can't lose you too, my angel._  
Marcus hugged Jake tight and kissed the top of the head resting on his shoulder.  
_Heh. You won't lose me. I'm tougher than you think._  
Jake and Marcus drifted into different dreams, Marcus unaware of his tears. 


	15. My Business

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marcus gets bad news about his business plan.  
> He wants to protect Jake but does Jake want, or need, to be protected?  
> And Jake suggests recruiting help from an unlikely source.

Jake frowned at the man standing a little too close to him. "You understand what I want you to do?"  
"Honestly? No, safer that way. Did you call the scientist I recommended for that... thing you were interested in last time we met? Do you need his number again?"  
"Huh? No, I didn't ask to meet you for science."  
Jake wondered what the odd man was sniggering about.  
"I heard Mr Vansten is not that into _science._ Unlike me. I'm _very_ int--"  
"Will we be overheard here, Mr Palmer?"  
"Secret police yes, of course; nosy interns maaaybeee; my new employers, no. They don't know about this place."  
"Mr Palmer, we're in the stationary cupboard. In the break room."  
"I know! Isn't it great? Daniel my producer hasn't found it yet. I brought Carlos in here once, for science."  
"Okay! Thank you. I'll leave first, shall I?" 

Marcus laughed as Jake described his meeting at the radio station.  
"Heh! The stationery cupboard? Never woulda thoughta that myself. Heh. But you agreed on a story?"  
"Yes, turns out he really is a subversive radio host. Hates his new boss. Likes to give the impression that he doesn't know what's going on around him, but... whatever. You can fund the primary school programme to keep our education system out of StrexCorp's control and he will broadcast something to make you look like an incompetent jerk for doing it. Also, he seems to know things. Like, you and Hiram running a loan business. Is that true?"  
"Heh. Bluey's the brains, Greeny and Vi are the brawn, Goldie's the reasonable face and Grey is... grey. I put up some startup cash."  
"That's very enterprising of you all. Is it moral? Ugh, don't answer. He tried to give me his scientist boyfriend's number again. Went on and on about how great he is, with the perfect hair and so on. Showed me a picture! Jeez!"  
"Was he trying to set you up on a date? Does he really have perfect hair? Should I be, y'know, jealous or whatever?" Marcus smoothed his hair down, Jake ruffled it again.  
"Ha! He certainly has a lot of hair. Not my type. Come here."  
Jake kissed Marcus, pulled his shirt out from his waistband and slid a hand under to stroke skin below.  
"Mmm. Jake, making out at work is real nice, I still miss it, but you got accounts to fix to bury that cash investment in Hiram's loans company and I gotta meet with Bubo. How you wanna do this? Secret?"  
Jake laughed. "You go first. Here, excuse. Text me if you want more _office supplies._ " Jake handed Marcus a stapler and a box of staples from the shelf by his head. Marcus grinned, kissed Jake again and slipped out of the stationery cupboard. Mhairi rolled her eyes at Bubo as Marcus returned to his office dishevelled and smiling. 

"Marcus."  
"Bubo."  
"New jewellery?"  
"Gift from Jake."  
"Congratulations. Was it a very private ceremony?"  
"Just me, him and a ghost. Need your advice or whatever. Totally, y'know, Confidential."  
"Of course. Is this about your planned takeover bid? Because it's the dumbest thing I've heard in a decade. I can see only one circumstance in which it would work."  
"Heh. Yep. Wondered when you'd tackle me on that one, Bubs. I am all ears." 

Jake went straight upstairs when he got home after a late evening processing Marcus's private financial activity, knocked on Marcus's door and went in. Marcus stood in his home office, scowling at two pieces of paper. Jake peered around the door and retreated to the living room. Marcus called him back.  
"Jake, not good news."  
"I guessed that. You want to do something illegal and Bubo said no?"  
"Heh. If that's all it was... heh. No. Sit. Here?"  
Marcus sat in his office chair. Jake sat on his lap and put an arm around Marcus's shoulders, leaning in as both of Marcus's arms tightened around his waist.  
"Turns out the only way a bid will be successful is if there is nobody available to reject it within the time limit. And it looks like they're on to us. Today I had to reject thirty four different bids for parts of Vansten Industries. They tried to buy my mall from me, and the apartment block the salesguys rent."  
"Shit. How bad is it gonna get?"  
"Jake, by tomorrow lunch, wrap up my personal accounts so they are in a fit and, y’know, modest state for the general accounts team to handle. Lock them out of the historical figures. I need you back in my office. They got a team making stupid bids to keep us busy so they can slip the real one through, we need a team rejecting them at least as fast."  
"Marcus, how can they force you to sell if you don't want to?"  
"It's all in the small print, Jake. They can put in a bid with a time limit. If I don't reject the bid in time, they win. They are wasting my time and attention in the hope that some get through. I didn't realise what they were up to until Bubo pointed out that I had sold them a farm by default. John Peters, y'know."  
"The farmer? Jeez Marcus!"  
"Please don't be upset with me. Or whatever."  
"Hm? I'm not, I'm concerned about you. You are under a lot of pressure."  
"But I've, uh... umm."  
"Marcus?"  
"Promoted Mhairi and Bubo to my executive team to handle hostile bids, and a couple admin staff they both recommended. But not you." 

Jake was quiet for a minute, then let out a barely audible _oh._  
“Jake, I need you near me, I need you to look after me. I need you—“  
Jake stood up and walked around to the other side of Marcus’s desk as he spoke. “I get it! I’m not an executive, I organise your day. I fetch coffee, sort your dry cleaning, cheer you up, make sure you eat, I’m the highest paid babysi—”  
Marcus raised his voice in both volume and pitch. “You see the good stuff in everyone you meet. I don’t want that ruined, I don’t want you tainted by the things StrexCorp does. I need you to remind me of why I should, y’know, care. About people. You care about people you’ve never met, I don't want to change that.”  
Jake sighed. “Marcus, I’m not a child. You don't need to protect me.”  
“Y'know we’re talking about people who sent armed helicopters after a teenager, right? They tried to buy all our school buildings so they could use the classes to manufacture uniforms. People disappear, I mean, y’know, more than usual. Jake, they acquired Grove Park couple days ago because the City Council is in hiding and didn't respond to their offer. Not even the elder gods know why they want it, but Bubo's seen leaked plans that I pray are a hoax. Their heavy squad held a press conference and took away the journalists who questioned their business practices. They ransacked the Ralph's and dragged off the manager who tried to stop them. They're everywhere, wearing their orange 'S' badges like it means they can do what ever they like.”  
“Marcus, I can face this.”  
“Josie couldn’t and she’s a fucking demon!” 

Jake stared at Marcus in the few seconds of silence after he stood up and yelled his last sentence. Marcus collapsed back into his chair and put his hands over his face. Jake frowned. He walked back to Marcus's side of the desk and perched against it.  
"Marcus."  
Marcus shook his head, face still covered.  
"Marcus." A firmer tone in Jake's voice.  
Marcus whimpered and hiccupped. Jake leaned forward and gripped both of Marcus's wrists. He pulled gently, Marcus tipped toward Jake with his hands still hiding his features. Jake knelt beside Marcus and clasped both arms around his shoulders, feeling him tremble.  
"Marcus." Quiet this time, followed by a kiss behind the ear. "Come on, it's New Year's Day tomorrow, everything will be closed. They can't do anything tomorrow, right?"  
Marcus rested his forehead on Jake's shoulder and slipped arms around his back.  
"Guess not. Got a team on it anyway. They'll come right over if I need to sign anything."  
"Wow. You paying overtime? Jeez it's worse than I thought!"  
Jake felt Marcus heave a couple of times. He rubbed Marcus's back with slow circular movements until he felt Marcus's breathing settle.  
"Mmm. Jake?"  
"Marcus?"  
"Please don't be, y'know, mad with me or whatever."  
"Good Glowcloud, there's more? Just tell me. I promise not to get mad at you unless you confess you're in a threesome with Mhairi and Bubo."  
"Heh! Nope. I, umm... I found a contact for that teenage activist and, um, donated to her cause. Can't be traced back to me, I promise. Very, y'know, discreet. Used-notes-in-plain-envelope stuff." 

"Marcus, I'm not mad. I promise." The sun had gone, the moon was absent and clouds obscured the stars as Jake closed the blinds in Marcus's living room then put the lamps on low. "I understand, really. I'm not a businessman, I don't expect people to do real evil deliberately. No!" Jake held a hand up. "I know you didn't get to be a billionaire by accident, Marcus, and I know you have skeletons in your closets. Would you do the same things again? Ugh, stupid question. Ignore me. Umm, I mean I know who you were and I was in awe of you for it. But I know who you are and I love you for that. I'm not the right person for your executive team. Mhairi is cynical enough, Bubo is... Bubo. Umm. Marcus?"  
Marcus smiled. "Jake?"  
"Promise not to be, y'know, mad at me, or whatever?"  
Marcus rolled his eyes. "Stoppit, Jake, I do NOT sound like that!"  
"Heh. I can think of one way I might be useful. I've seen you sit for ages just adding your name to documents."  
Marcus frowned. "Mmm yep, painintheass, why?"  
Jake smiled, shrugged, reached into Marcus's pocket for his favourite pen and scribbled something on the inside cover of the coffee-table copy of _A Time Traveller's Guide to Night Vale: Past, Present and Future._ He handed the book over to Marcus.  
"Heh! Jake my love, you never told me you had talent as, y'know, a forger!" 

Marcus, thankfully, laughed. Jake breathed deep and hissed out a long breath. "So you're not mad that I learned your handwriting?"  
"What, you can do more than just my signature?" Jake nodded. "Why?"  
"Because I could. I learned Earl's when we were negotiating a deal on the house. Yours was for fun. I promise I have never used it!"  
"Heh. Liar!"  
"Oh come on! One time to cover a bar bill at Dragonflies."  
"Heh. At least there was no "miscellaneous' charge that, um, _one_ time."  
"Shit, Marcus, I'm ashamed of that. It was a night you'd wound me up so much Earl and I... doesn't matter, I shouldn't have done it."  
"I didn't mind, kinda liked knowing I got through to you somehow. And I liked that you were with Earl. You were always safe with him."  
"Marcus, I love you but sometimes you can be a real dou--"  
They both froze at the noise from the corridor. Someone banged on the door and yelled for Marcus. Jake leapt up and answered. Mhairi hugged Jake briefly and went in to find Marcus.  
"Honey, I'm sorry, I just heard. StrexCorp drove White Sands out of business, the Guiterrez sisters have been imprisoned for bankruptcy. Marcus, what can we do?"  
Marcus curled up and shook his head. 

Marcus, Jake and Mhairi sat in contemplation or shock. Bubo joined them ten minutes later. Jake broke the silence.  
"I'm not a lawyer or a business-whatever, so tell me if I got this wrong." He looked up to see six eyes on him. "StrexCorp is destroying Night Vale." Three nods. "Marcus can afford a credible bid but StrexCorp executives will never agree." More nods. "So we need them to be too busy to know there is a takeover, say, running for their lives?" Three frowns.  
Jake was not put off. "Look, we know one person who can offer physical and social resistance - that teenager with the _ugh_ severed hand. Bet Earl's scouts would join her if we asked. Marcus, you already helped them out. What about helping them out a little more?"  
Bubo frowned, Mhairi smiled. Marcus raised his head.  
"Heh. I know one more person who might be able to mobilise a resistance at just the right time ."  
Jake frowned at Marcus, then slowly grinned. They announced a name together.  
_"Cecil. Fucking. Palmer!"_


	16. Distractions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jake meets with Cecil to ask him for help to keep StrexCorp distracted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My head canon Cecil is aware enough and clever enough to know that acting aware and clever around whoever is in power is a really bad idea.

_"Shuddupnotinhere!"_ Jake physically stepped backwards in the small room, his hip hit the edge of the door. The other man waved his hand in a cutting motion across his throat.  
"Cupboard?" Jake raised an eyebrow and pointed along the too-bright corridor.  
"No," Cecil sighed. "Lauren, my new director, found me in there yesterday with Intern Svee. I think Svee convinced her we were just making out. Anyway, the stationery cupboard no longer has a door. Apparently that makes us more productive. I'll walk you to your car."  
Jake frowned, but picked up something in the man's voice that made him play along. Standing by the reception desk, Jake saw a professionally dressed woman carrying a clipboard and a scowl. As soon as she noticed them, her expression melted into sunshine. She held out a hand.  
"Cecil, aren't you going to introduce me to your... friend? Is this Carlos?"  
Cecil paused. "Uh, umm, Lauren this is--"  
"Sunil. My friends call me Sunni." Jake took Lauren's hand and kissed it, performing a little bow before moving into Lauren's personal space and staring at her chest for a silent countdown from five. Lauren's smile remained fixed on her mouth, but abandoned her eyes. "It's nice to see such a beauty, lights up my day. Can I be so forward as to ask for your number and invite you to dinner? Tonight? Jerry's Tacos is doing a spe--"  
"No! No thank you, Sunil. Cecil, I will be in my office." Lauren yanked her hand from Jake's grip and click-clacked down the admin corridor. Jake smiled.  
"I think that worked. She'll probably avoid me forever now."  
"I like Jerry's Tacos! What would you have done if she had accepted?"  
Jake laughed. "Dunno, that has never happened." He handed his visitor's pass to the grinning intern at the desk and walked out into early evening cool. Cecil followed, steering him by the elbow. Cecil spoke just for Jake to hear.  
"Okay, meet me at Big Rico's after my show tonight. Corner booth. Rico is safe," then louder, "I like tacos, why not ask me out? Carlos is busy so I'm free tomorrow. Seven?"  
Jake smiled and nodded as he opened his car door, glad to have brought something bland from the car pool, and called for Lauren's benefit. "That's great! See you tomorrow night, seven o'clock at Jerry's Tacos!" He waved at Cecil and glanced at the window where the blinds still twitched. _Sunil_ blew a kiss towards Lauren's office and drove away. 

Jake was early. He sat alone in the corner booth aware that Bubo and Mhairi were at the two adjacent booths, scowling at anyone who approached. Cecil arrived, nodded to Big Rico and sat down while Rico closed the blinds.  
"We can't talk here, too many people."  
"It's fine," Jake leaned forward to meet Cecil across the table. "The two either side of us who look like they're being stood up are colleagues of mine. Lookouts."  
Cecil looked around then back to Jake. "I don't like to feel outnumbered."  
"We can go somewhere else if you want, just us, if you know somewhere."  
"No, I'll text Carlos. He might join us, although we're both still a little shaken by what happened when he signed up for one of those new places, you know, the modern-looking condos that went up real fast and disappeared even faster into a sink hole? He's not keen on leaving the lab after that." 

Jake explained. "My employer has a plan. A business plan."  
"Oh?"  
"Mmm. Take the fight to them."  
"I see..."  
"Beat them at their own game."  
"Okay, I have to stop you there. Am I supposed to know what-the-spire you are talking about?"  
Jake sighed. "Ugh. I'm no good at this. Look," he leaned forwards again and Cecil met him halfway. "Marcus wants to buy out Strex to stop their expansion, but he can't unless their shareholders are all too busy to notice. We need a distraction, a rebellion, an uprising, something - anything! - to get those bastards out of their offices while he launches and completes his takeover. He needs at least twenty-four hours if they are to be unable to appeal on legal grounds."  
Cecil grinned. "Ooo, civil disobedience! Hmm. It will take time and careful manipulation of what's left of the media to encourage enough citizens to join in, and I am going to be very busy since Lauren has ordered me to host a debate for the candidates running for mayor. Normally I like to stay out of politics."  
Jake sighed and looked Cecil directly in the eyes, a disconcerting experience. He broke eye contact and murmured, _you are what's left of the media._

Cecil nodded and sat back frowning. "It's not easy, to remain impartial. It should be my job to report events, not interfere and certainly not cause them. I doubt my motives often. Perhaps I like the feeling of being a troublemaker. It's quite new to me."  
Jake sat back too. "Please," he sighed. "You love this community. Help save it."  
Cecil shifted forwards and his face molded into a loose grin. "Oh you must meet Carlos!" Jake looked around, expecting to see the scientist. Instead he saw a couple approach Bubo about maybe moving and letting them have the booth. "Carlos is just the most handsome, cleverest scientist I know. He..." The couple moved on and Cecil relaxed. "I'll talk to someone else who can help. Be ready, I might not get a chance to... But Carlos is so sweet, the other day he told me we should get a new place, you know, for us. Move in together! Isn't that something? Don't you think lab coats are... give you a heads-up about it. People are unpredictable, Carlos says. I am not sure whether or not I agree with him. Tell him thanks, by the way."  
Jake frowned. "Who? Carlos?"  
"No, silly!" Cecil leaned forwards again. "Mr Vansten. Tamika says thanks and is there any more where that came from because good hardbacks are not cheap." 

Jake and Cecil chatted over pizza toppings for a while after Bubo and Mhairi gave up their chaperon posts, until Cecil announced that Carlos really was on his way towards their table. Jake waited long enough to be polite but not intrude. The team regrouped at Vansten Mansion, in Jake's apartment. Marcus explained, "Heh, sure it's under surveillance but I, y'know, ordered it. The feed goes to my computer and nowhere else." Jake fixed him with a look that could freeze lava.  
"After this is over, Marcus, we might revisit your policy on domestic privacy."  
Marcus pouted. "Want me to, y'know, turn it off, or whatever?"  
"Yes!"  
Marcus grinned. "Heh. Gotcha. There are no hidden cameras or bugs in here."  
"Marcus... Ugh." Jake rolled his eyes and laughed. "I almost believe you."  
"Heh. Mmm-nope. I had them all removed after the first time you let me stay over."  
Mhairi laughed as Jake launched at Marcus, who failed to defend himself until Jake landed in his lap. "Please, behave. You are both long past your teens. Bubo will be here any minute."  
Marcus laughed and pushed Jake off. Jake pretended to sulk. "Fine. Heh. Jake, whaddaya make of that radio man?"  
Jake frowned. "He's odd, I can't keep eye contact with him. There was something... _real_ uncomfortable about his eyes. Almost like a flicker of some sort. But he agreed to help us, at least I think he did. I kinda like him."  
Marcus nodded. "Mmm. Josie always said he was important. She took care of him, y'know, like she does for... people. Yep. Mhairi?"  
"Seems a lot more reliable in real life than on his show. Aware. Kept talking about his scientist boyfriend when anyone strayed within hearing range. Jake, you met the man. Does he live up to Palmer's description?"  
Jake smiled. "Ha! Cecil's description is correct, technically. He mentions all of Carlos's best features. And nothing else."  
Bubo came in quietly and sat on the edge of the sofa between Jake and Marcus, angled to face Marcus, turning the discussion back on topic. "Your plan is difficult to manage. Mr Vansten, your strategy needs to be ready at a moment's notice. We do not know what distraction this Palmer is planning or when it will happen. Working without a clear timescale makes me feel anxious." Marcus patted Bubo's knee, making the lawyer squawk and flap. Bubo moved to perch on a kitchen chair. "Mr Vansten, we need to prepare your bid urgently and train key members of your team on how to implement it in the event of you being unavailable. What if they get to you first?" 

A week later, Vansten Industries had a takeover bid for StrexCorp Synernists Incorporated prepared and five people trained on _what to do with all this paperwork when the time comes._  
A few days after that, Jake found a plain, used envelope under the wiper blade of the Land Rover. The message written on it read _Whatever this is, this isn't it. Listen._  
Jake and Marcus huddled in Marcus's office in town to listen to the radio. 

Ten minutes in to the show, Marcus called Mhairi. Jake kept on listening.  
"You understand what's happening?... Mmm yep, no, no, don't do that."  
"I know, but not to the extent of putting our team in danger of being detained."  
"Mhairi... stay in the office. Get everyone who is available and not on the core executive team out there, walking. Yep."  
"Heh. Mmm nope, don't give them an excuse."  
Marcus smiled at Jake. "Heh. It's begun." 

Much later, so late it was on the borderline with early, Jake and Marcus mulled over the events they had heard about from interviewing excitable employees who were happy to go for a stroll down Route 800 in the fresh air, maybe hold placards and chant anti-Strex slogans at City Hall.  
Jake reclined on the sofa in Marcus's home office, head on Marcus's lap. He rubbed his eyes. "So the City Council members are in hiding?"  
Marcus sat with an arm loosely across Jake's ribs. "Heh. Mostly. Some were bribed to stay by StrexCorp. Ease the transition, or whatever."  
"Oh. City Hall belongs to them too, I expect."  
"Yep."  
Jake yawned and rubbed his face again. "Marcus, was this protest march a good idea? Plenty of citizens joined in thanks to Cecil's broadcast but it didn't achieve anything. Nobody came out to make any concessions or listen to demands. There weren't even any clear demands and no leader to deliver them if there were. Uh, sorry, am I rambling?" Jake peered up at Marcus, who smiled and shook his head. "People marched, people chanted _Down With Strex!_ and caused a fuss, closed Route 800 for a couple hours and brought the city centre to a standstill, businesses must have lost out... Oh! I see! Ha!"  
Marcus laughed and ruffled Jake's hair. "Mmm yep. The people of Night Vale showed they can hit StrexCorp where it hurts. Right in the, y'know, profit margin."  
"Did you hear about our sympathetic, subversive radio host? He was spotted outside City Hall. Lise from accounts said so, although we can't be sure it was him since not many people seem to know what he looks like."  
"Mmm yep, I heard some rumours. He should've lain low. Hope he doesn't get fired or whatever."  
"You wouldn't think it, to look at him, that he'd have the physical strength for that."  
"Heh! No. Maybe he, y'know, works out or whatever. Always covers up. Could be anything lurking under that tunic he likes to wear."  
Jake snorted. "I am not going to think about what's under Cecil's tunic. Stop sniggering! Lise told Mhairi she counted at least a dozen Strex heavies with the orange 'S' jackets, videoing the crowd. She saw Cecil somehow remove their cameras by force and destroy them. How does one average sized radio presenter do that?"  
Marcus combed his fingers through Jake's hair. "We don't know for sure it was him, Jake, and he's not telling."  
Jake yawned so wide his jaw clicked. He closed his eyes, rubbed his joint and yawned again.  
"You ever wish things were different?"  
"Heh. I wish I was in bed already with you holding me close and telling me everything was gonna be, y'know, fine."  
"Marcus, I will grant your three wishes." Jake sat then stood up. "I will help you to bed, hug you and tell you lies until you snore."  
"Mmm. You're my genie. Aren't I meant to, y'know, rub something to get my wishes granted?" 


	17. k?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a debate.  
> Marcus is asked a question nobody could have predicted.

**I see your point, my dear Marcus, but we should be working together. This town needs one of us in charge, and you know which one I mean.**  
**THE ONE WITH FIVE BRAINS**  
_HUMANS ARE TOO WEAK TO RULE THEMSELVES--_  
**Now, Violet, we talked about this.**  
_You did, at least. You talk a lot._  
**_Statistically we have computed that five brains are far more effective than one and one five headed dragon is more effective than five one-headed humans._**  
**Although your plan for the upcoming debate has some merit, setting up in direct opposition to me like that will split our support. I need you to help me put on a good show.**  
**A SHOW OF STRENGTH! RAIN DOWN FIRE AND DESTRUCTION ON OUR ENEMIES! MAY THEIR SMOKING REMAINS--**  
_How do you plan to roast someone with no physical presence?_  
**Thank you, Grey-head, for bringing up that little, ha, problem.**  
_WE WILL WIN WITH RHETORIC AND SENSE! AND FIRE._  
**_Yeah! Goldie, there has to be fire, always goes down well._**  
**Taken, Blue-head, taken, a little conflagration is always welcome, but I still think we should avoid the slogan "Wouldn't you want the being with five flame-throwers to be on your side?"**  
Marcus reclined on Hiram's enormous sofa and enjoyed the show without interrupting much. 

Marcus got back to his office late and only slightly singed after Hiram's Grey-head suggested a precision flame-throwing competition for Green and Violet. Blue kept score until Violet accused him of deliberately miscounting hits and Gold had to intervene.  
Jake giggled at the picture in his head. "Earl would have loved to see that. He quit partly because of the bickering, too damn dangerous he said."  
Marcus laughed. "Heh! Think he does it to cheer me up."  
"How did your meeting go? Good?" Jake flopped onto the sofa, pulling Marcus by the hand to sit with him. Marcus closed his eyes and leaned back, squeezed Jake's hand.  
"Mmm yep, we have a plan. You're gonna hate it but don't try talking me out of it or whatever because I'm gonna do it anyway and I hate to argue with you."  
Jake sighed. "Just tell me so I know what to expect. I don't like surprises much."  
Marcus grinned and opened his eyes, sat up and angled himself to face Jake. "I'm going to act like a total asshole so that Hiram can show off. Win more, y'know, popularity."  
Jake shook his head. "Fine, but I will never understand why you do that for him."  
"It's not only for Hiram. StrexCorp ordered this debate and they will be watching. They will want a Mayor they think they can control, if they still have enough power by then to rig the election."  
"I get it." Jake smiled. "Strex gone, Hiram is Mayor, probably, good for building business back up. Strex still here, you are Mayor, Strex get a helluva surprise when you and Bubo start passing local bye-laws that prevent them from making a profit here."  
Marcus grinned at Jake, pulled his tie to make him move toward him and accepted a kiss before loosening the knot and removing Jake's tie. "Mmm. Heh. You're catching on. Can I make you potential future Deputy Mayor in charge of writing speeches and keeping the potential future Mayor out of trouble?" 

Jake's first task as potential future Deputy Mayor was to write a script for Marcus. He lounged on Marcus's office sofa with a pencil and paper pad, head on a cushion, feet in Marcus's hands. He frowned.  
"Kinda depends on what questions Cecil is preparing. I should meet him to find out."  
Marcus ran a finger along Jake's foot from heel to toes, pinching his middle toe and making him jump. "You wanna see that pretty radio man again? You try'n'a make me, y'know, jealous?"  
Jake laughed. "No, no way. I admit I want another look into his eyes to see what freaked me out last time, but he's really not my type." Jake paused. "Way too good looking."  
"Heh... hey! I'm, y'know, gorgeous. Don't I float your boat?"  
"You certainly hoist my mainsail."  
"Ooh, you are nautical. Come on, first mate, you taking care of your captain's log?"  
"My captain looks after his own log and I'm not allowed access to his p... ok, I'm not going there. Too obvious. Umm, But he polishes my timberhead when I get bored of doing it by myself."  
"Enough!" Marcus hid his face. "Sometimes, Jake, I long for the days when I could make you blush with a perfectly innocent word said with just the right tone and a well timed smirk."  
Jake leered. "I learned from the best, Marcus."  
Marcus laughed. He pulled himself on top of Jake, Jake dropped the paper and pencil. Marcus kissed him, wriggled a little and sniggered. "Heh. Secure the foredeck matey, wanna come aboard?"  
Jake giggled. "Well, shiver me timbers." He kissed Marcus and slid out from underneath, flopping onto the floor. "You sure?"  
"Mm-hmm, go lock the door."  
Jake got up and walked towards the office door. He reached for the lock but the door opened. Mhairi walked in, passed Jake with a quick _hi Jakey_ and saw Marcus on the sofa.  
"Marcus, good you're here. Uh, why are your pants half-mast? Oh fuck, did I just...? Jeez, put a sock on the door handle or something. Ok since I ruined your moment anyway, Cecil called. You get two minutes to say whatever you want before he starts asking questions. And don't sideline the Faceless Old Woman Who Needs a Catchier Name just because she's intangible, invisible and whatever, she's dangerous. You want to make an enemy of someone with access to everybody's private affairs?" 

Mhairi left, muttering _sorry, Jake, Jeez!_ on her way out. Jake locked both office doors and returned to Marcus, giggling.  
"Heh. Still wanna? I still wanna make you smile."  
Jake nodded. He straddled Marcus on the sofa, leaned over and kissed him as Marcus unfastened buttons and zippers, letting Jake's shirt flap open. Marcus nuzzled a path from Jake's lips down his neck, hands firm and flat on Jake's back as he leaned forward to kiss down Jake's chest. Jake leaned back and angled just enough to let Marcus reach his left nipple. Marcus took his cue, pulling an appreciative _hmm_ from Jake.  
Jake pulled away and stood up to finish undressing. Marcus watched.  
"Jeez, Jake, you're beautiful."  
Jake smiled. "You want to look for a while? We could lounge around your office nude, pretending to be real _busy,"_ Jake waggled his eyebrows, making Marcus snigger, "while we are secretly writing your speech for the debate."  
Marcus looked Jake up and down for a few seconds then got up and stripped. "Heh, mmm yep. Grab your clipboard and help me think of ways to make Hiram feel inadequate, threatened, make him wanna prove himself."  
Jake laughed and shook his head. "What could possibly be threatening to a five-headed dragon? A six-headed dragon?"  
Marcus paced while he thought and spoke. "I got it, someone who can tame a multi-headed dragon. C'mon Jake, you writing anything down?" 

After a few giggles at lines they had to reject on the grounds that Hiram might flame-grill Marcus first and apologise to his charred remains, they had their script. Marcus did a read-through, sitting side by side on the sofa with Jake pretending to be Cecil and all of Hiram's heads.  
Marcus wiped his eyes and breathed deep in an attempt to control his voice. "Heh. That'll wind him up. How can I make myself look like I couldn't care less? Should I be nude?"  
"Mmm, it is a radio debate with a limited audience so what you wear might not have much impact. What annoys you when you have meetings with new contacts?"  
"Heh! I'll be on my phone writing you an email. Something real arrogant."  
"Something about your autobiography?"  
"You still working on that? You know that giving you a job as ghost writer was just, y'know, an excuse to spend more time with you? Mmm yep."  
Jake smiled. "Yes, I knew and I played along. It was interesting, you're a real good storyteller. How much of the stuff you told me was actually true?"  
"Heh! You calling me a liar, Jakey?"  
"Uh-huh. I know you are a liar. So am I. We all tell lies."  
"Heh." Marcus stroked a hand from Jake's knee up his thigh and back again. "I wasn't lying when I said you were beautiful."  
Jake leaned in and whispered, _I know, right?_ He laughed at Marcus's smile and put the clipboard on the floor. "Come here. I think we can leave the script alone for a while. I got a suggestion, if you're comfortable with it?"  
"Mmm? All ears, Jake my love." 

Jake explained and Marcus shook his head and moved back a little. "Mmm nope. I don't wanna do that. It's too close to... ugh, sorry. I know it would feel more like real sex for you and I wish I could but I'd be... Mmm. Maybe you could if it was over real quick? I think I'd freak out after."  
Jake put both hands up. "No! No, not if you don't want to. It was just an idea, I did it that way with Earl once when I was a bit too sore for pe... well, you know." Jake wrapped his arms around Marcus. "Oh, Marcus, honey, don't ever agree to do something just _for me_ because I suggest it. If you don't want it, I don't want it. I love you. I want to make you happy. I don't want to make you hate me."  
Marcus hugged Jake and kissed the side of his neck. He looked down. "Heh. You really meant it when you said you didn't want it any more. Mmm."  
Jake sighed. "Come on. Let's get dressed and I'll drive us home. Can we afford to take the evening off?"  
"Ugh, we both need to be available in case one of the team needs an official signature. I'm not quite ready to go yet. I still want to see that smile." Marcus pulled Jake up to stand in front of him.  
"Marcus? Oh! _Oooh!_ Okay!"  
Marcus stroked both hands down Jake's back to his ass and rubbed circles on his buttocks. Jake cupped Marcus's face with both hands, kissed him and grinned as he felt Marcus shift and explore his growing erection.  
"Heh. All hands on deck!"  
"Raise the mizzen mast!"  
Marcus handed Jake a condom. "Better prevent any, y'know, _sea men_ from jumping ship."  
"Glowing cloud, Marcus, that one was bad."  
"Heh. Can't help going overboard sometimes." 

Next morning Jake woke early and made coffee while Marcus slept in. He took two mugs back to bed, set them down and shook Marcus gently, kissing his exposed shoulder and cheek.  
"Mmf Earl?"  
Jake's _good morning_ caught in his throat. He kissed Marcus again and shook him. "No, Marcus sweetie, it's me. I brought coffee."  
Marcus's eyes opened and he blinked a few times. "Jake. Mmm, Jake." He reached out a hand and patted Jake's hip before pushing himself up to sit. "I had a dream about Earl."  
"I guessed. You thought I was him a moment ago when I woke you. I still miss him too." Jake sighed. "Feels odd sleeping here, amongst all his things."  
Marcus smiled. "But kinda nice to lie here and think about him, huh? His stuff. It smells less like him than it used to. I guess we have to let go one day, when we really feel like he's gone."  
"Maybe, one day, but not yet."  
"No. Not yet. Hey, if the new place is ready we could move in. Tonight after the debate? A quiet housewarming party of just you and me? Heh. No more discussion about whether to sleep in my room because I got the best shower or yours because you have a better kitchen or Earl's because we miss him."  
Jake smiled and stroked Marcus's cheek. "I'll organise it. What will you do with this place?"  
"Keep it. Heh. Useful if we have business or political partners to entertain."  
Jake snorted. "You mean you need somewhere Hiram can crash when you get pissed together. Better get up. I'll run through your script with you again a few times. Maybe it would be safer to warn Hiram?"  
Marcus swung his legs out of bed and downed his coffee. "Heh, where's the fun in that? He won't hurt me. I'll be fine. We can all go out for a drink after. Even the Faceless Old Woman can join us if she's not too busy gluing tables to the floor and setting kitchen equipment on fire. The new place has the right bloodstones, right?" Jake smiled and _Mm-hmm_ -ed as he called _Vansten Estate Management_ rapid removals department. He grinned at Marcus.  
"You been out to see it? Ha! You're going to love the decor." 

The rest of the day was spent in choosing a suitable outfit for Marcus, packing and labelling overnight essentials, getting out of the way of the removal team, rehearsing in front of Mhairi and Bubo, signing documents declining offers for parts of Vansten Industries and trying to second guess what the Faceless Old Woman might have to say on political topics like funding for schools and promotion of fire safety awareness.  
With two hours left, business closed for the day. StrexCorp quietened their assault on Vansten Industries. Bubo postulated that they were also busy with preparations for the debate and might leave them alone until opening time tomorrow. Bubo looked sideways at Jake and Marcus, aimed a slight upturn of their lips at Mhairi and suggested a couple of hours off would do no harm.  
Jake smiled wide at the sight of Marcus dressed in linen trousers, an open shirt and a lot of gold. He laughed. "Nervous? Wanna ride in my car?" 

By the time Jake brought Marcus to the venue for the debate, Marcus was giggling and buzzing with adrenaline. Jake saw Marcus settled, waved at Hiram, blew a kiss at Cecil who frowned and reddened slightly, jumped as Marcus slapped his ass, laughed and kissed Marcus then retreated to watch from the wings before the curtain rose. 

Marcus played his part beautifully. Jake grinned as he watched Hiram react to Marcus's taunts. He almost laughed aloud at Marcus's email and jumped when his phone buzzed on silent. He risked a scowl from the stagehand in the black jumpsuit with the small embroidered orange-S-triangle logo on the front, and took his phone out. He really had an email from Marcus. _Go sit in the audience, I can see the first three rows but the rest is dark. I want to see you._  
Jake grinned and went backstage, signed for directions to the auditorium. He sat on the step at the end of row B and smiled at Marcus. Jake listened, coloured and hid his face, peering out from between his fingers. Marcus winked at him. _But I need that coffee table._

Jake frowned when Marcus started to sob during one of the calls. This wasn't part of his script at all. _Dammit he's a good actor! That looks real!_ Jake watched Marcus carefully as he recovered. Marcus dried his eyes on his hands, looked at his fingers as if in surprise and returned his attention to the question posed by the next caller. 

Jake watched as Marcus chanted to the Glowcloud. Another call came in, a question specifically for Marcus, the caller with the smooth voice said. Jake smiled, Marcus would love the attention. He was weeping onto his sleeve again, he was _good._ Jake stopped listening, stared at Marcus, smiling at the man he loved. 

Jake couldn't explain when he knew something was not right with Marcus. It was in his voice maybe, or the caller's mesmerising tone, but right before Cecil noticed that something was happening to Marcus, Jake dived for the stage. He tried to scramble up to hold on to Marcus, to save him, but something held him back. A warm, comforting shimmer surrounded Jake and he passed out with his ears ringing.  
The last thing Jake remembered was Marcus, floating in the air, stretching taller and taller as his clothes fell in rags to cover his chair and golden-feathered wings erupting from his back.  
Later, Mhairi and Bubo who were seated further back in the audience, told him that Marcus's last act as a human was to reach out and try to call his name. 

Jake insisted on searching the entire theatre himself. Mhairi stayed with him, Bubo had work to do. _Ideal time for StrexCorp to try an attack_ Jake heard Bubo whisper to Mhairi.  
"Yeah, when Marcus gets over this stunt he'll have something to say about that I bet!" Jake yelled. Mhairi nodded at Bubo, signed something Jake couldn't make out through blurry eyes and Bubo slipped away.  
"Jake, stop."  
"I have to find Marcus."  
"Jake, please stop for a minute."  
"I can't have lost him too! Do you understand that?"  
"Honey, stop. Sit down here." Mhairi patted the seat so dramatically vacated by Marcus. Jake sat on the floor. "Tell me what you saw. I'll tell you what I saw. Then you can decide what to do next. Okay?"  
Jake nodded. "I saw Marcus crying. I saw him floating, changing, then he was gone and I woke up on the floor there." Jake pointed.  
Mhairi nodded. "Bubo and I saw Marcus transform into an angel while another angel held you down. They need Marcus for some reason. I wish Josie was here to explain why." Mhairi touched Jake's head. "He's gone, Jake, but not like Earl. Marcus was taken for a purpose and we know he is alive."  
Jake curled up at Mhairi's feet. "I need him. Mhairi, why can't we be left alone? Me and Marcus and Earl?" Mhairi slid to the floor beside Jake. She rested one hand on Jake's head, the other on his arm and waited while he wept. 


	18. What angels fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jake and his colleagues have a fight on their hands.  
> Can he persuade Cecil to bring forward his plans?  
> And will they be able to put an end to StrexCorp's takeover of Night Vale?

"Come on, Jake, Bubo brought the car. We are coming home with you tonight." Mhairi stroked Jake's arm and helped him up. She led him out of the deserted theatre into the night. Jake shivered. Bubo drove carefully and pulled up outside the new house.  
Jake swore. "I was bringing Marcus here for the first time tonight. He never saw this place. Said he liked surprises."  
"We all got a surprise tonight. Jake, nobody could have stopped what happened." Bubo opened the door and motioned for Jake to go in first. Mhairi went second then Bubo. They sat in the living room. "Perhaps you could have anchored Marcus because he loves you, you could have held him back. So Erika stopped you. How did that feel? When you were held by Erika?" Bubo sat forward, hungry for an answer.  
Mhairi turned on Bubo. "Jeez, Bubo! That's so insensitive! You should learn more human--"  
"No!" Jake held a hand up towards Mhairi. "It's fine, it's fine. It's not fine. Bubo, I felt... I don't know. Warm. Wanted. Part of something real big."  
Bubo smiled. "Loved?" Jake nodded, tears seeping through closed eyelids. "Imagine how Marcus feels, being Erika," Bubo reached out a hand and gripped Jake's shoulder, "to feel loved like that?" 

Mhairi found the words Jake couldn't.  
"Bubo, what the FUCK are you talking about?"  
Bubo shrank from the shout. "The angels. Josie. Erika. Josie is missing but Erika is here now. Josie must be close. Ever wonder why all angels are called Erika?"  
Jake frowned. "Angels aren't real... Cecil said--"  
Bubo cut him off. "Ignore that. Cecil says what he has to say to keep broadcasting. Angels are real. They are not all _called_ Erika, they _are_ Erika. Connected. There are three beings who truly care for Night Vale, according to Josie. There's Josie, Erika and Eve."  
Mhairi waved her arms. "Wait, wait, wait. Okay. I've known as much as I'm allowed to about the existence of angels for a while now and I knew Josie seemed to have some control over them. You saying the angels are, what, all part of one being called Erika? Who is _Eve?"_  
Bubo shrugged. "The angels share consciousness, a connection. They chose to call it _Erika._ I don't know anything about Eve. Josie won't talk. Maybe another demon? Speculation makes me uncomfortable."  
Mhairi and Bubo talked, mostly Mhairi asking questions and Bubo evading. Jake listened, tuning in only to anything that might be relevant to Marcus. Eventually he found a voice.  
"Bubo, how do you know all this shit?" 

Bubo was silent for a few seconds, frowning.  
"It's not shit, Jake. Have you ever known me to lie deliberately?"  
Jake thought for a while and shook his head. "Didn't mean it like that. How do you know? About Erika? I knew about Josie, Marcus knows her from way back, Jeez, we even needed her once. But nobody is allowed to talk about angels!"  
Bubo smiled. "Josie never cared for that rule. She talks about Erika all the time."  
"You're friends with Josie too?"  
"Yes. She helped me settle here in Night Vale. I was an interloper once. She encouraged me to study law and work in Desert Bluffs for a while." Bubo shivered. "For the experience. I got out just in time and she got me a job with Marcus. Said he'd need me one day."  
Jake stood on unsteady legs, shaking his head. "This is too much right now."  
"Jake, there is no reason to mourn Marcus."  
Mhairi saw Bubo turn away as Jake mouthed _fuck you_ silently and left the room. 

Jake woke next morning to find Mhairi shaking him and holding coffee.  
"Up! Come on, no time. Coffee. Clothes. Move!"  
"Uh? What the fuck, Mhairi!"  
"MOVE!"  
Jake did as he was told. In six and a half minutes he was dressed and in Bubo's car on the way to _Vansten Industries_ offices. Bubo explained.  
"Strex thinks there is nobody in charge. They will put in bids expecting no response. We must be there to deal with it. You sign as Marcus, Mhairi will make sure nobody sees Marcus is not physically present and I'll keep us as legal as possible."  
"So my job is to forge Marcus's signature?"  
"Yes, and maybe field a few short phone calls. I'll be with you for that. Call your radio man, arrange a discreet meeting." 

The day was frantic. Bubo predicted StrexCorp's moves with accuracy if not precision. One large bid for the entire Vansten estate arrived first. Bubo read it carefully and showed Jake what to write in Marcus's decorative style, where to sign to reject the offer outright. After that came a deluge of smaller offers, carving Vansten Industries up into pieces, from smaller companies all operating under the StrexCorp umbrella. Bubo and the core executive team spent the day reading twisted documents, stickering them with page markers and queueing them up for Jake to add Marcus's signatures. By mid afternoon, Jake had a pile of documents in front of him on the conference table in Marcus's office, sorted in order of urgency by Mhairi.  
Mhairi brought coffee and food. "Hey, take a break. Cramp?"  
Jake nodded. "How did Marcus do this all day?"  
Mhairi shrugged. "He never saw it this bad. This is the worst it has been. Eat."  
Jake shook his head. "I think I'd throw up. I feel terrible."  
"Eat. You are shaking and Marcus's signature will look odd if you don't get it under control."  
Jake picked up a sandwich. "Shit, Mhairi, I almost thought you cared about me for a moment."  
Mhairi watched Jake eat, hugged him and handed him a new pen. 

By six Jake was shaking again. Bubo handed him his phone with one instruction. _Call Palmer._ Jake called, _Mm-hmm_ -ed a couple of times and left.  
Mhairi sat alone in the personnel office, all non essential staff sent home early and told to take leave until they were called back. She closed her eyes and dozed for the first time since the previous morning. Her thoughts drifted to Marcus, to what she witnessed the day before. To Bubo's impossibly plausible explanation.  
_Heh. Bubo's, y'know, got it kinda right._  
Mhairi snapped awake and upright, turning to look right and left and behind. The lights were full on but she was sure she'd turned them off. Mhairi put her face in her hands and trembled. She spoke aloud to comfort herself. "It's a dream. I was thinking about Marcus and I heard him. Just a dream."  
Mhairi walked to the panel of switches on the wall by the door to turn off the too-bright fluorescence from above her head. The lights were already off. Mhairi flicked the switches a few times, uncomprehending.  
_Mhairi. Sit down. Look up._  
Mhairi's knees failed her, her head spun and she crashed to the floor with ringing in her ears. She woke up a long minute later and looked up. 

"Hey, get up if you can." Mhairi blinked a few times and swallowed. It was dark, she was lying on her side and her head was comfortable. The voice speaking to her was calm and reassuring. Mhairi brought her hand up to her head and realised she was lying on the floor with her head in Bubo's lap.  
"Bubo, I saw something. In here. I heard Marcus."  
"Ssh, I know. He... they told me to say sorry for scaring you. I found you like this. You were breathing so I made you as comfortable as I could and waited for you to wake up. Is that okay?"  
"They?"  
Bubo rolled their eyes. "Actually Marcus said _heh, I need to find the, y'know, dimmer switch or whatEVER. Can't go round, heh, making people, y'know, pass out."_ Bubo cradled Mhairi's head in their arms.  
Mhairi pushed herself up and shook out her hair. "Hmm. Sounds like Marcus all right. Fuck. Is he still here? Only Jake's wrecked and there are a few more documents--"  
Mhairi listened for a few seconds to the unfamiliar sound behind her. Bubo was laughing. 

Meanwhile Jake sat in the corner booth at Rico's waiting for Cecil. He watched the figure opposite him carefully. Jake frowned and the other man broke silence.  
"Are you studying me?"  
"What? No! No." Jake looked away from Carlos's direct stare.  
"You are. You're wondering what Cecil sees in me. It's okay, I wonder that too. Often. Scientifically speaking, I don't match most people's ideals."  
Jake shrugged. "Cecil talks about you a lot. He's besotted. They say beauty is in the--"  
"Eye of the beholder. I know. Beauty is, in one definition, the scientifically measurable symmetry of a face. Another definition says that beauty is in our actions, the way we treat one another."  
Jake smiled. "Then Marcus was beautiful but hid it, and Earl's beauty was obvious to everyone except himself."  
Carlos slumped forward on his elbows. "You must miss them terribly. I'm sorry. For your... losses. Cecil liked Earl. They used to be best friends."  
Jake grinned. "Yeah, Earl mentioned Cecil once. Said he was a terrible scout."  
Carlos shook as he laughed and Jake began to understand what Cecil liked about him.  
Cecil arrived as Carlos's giggling fit ended.  
"So sorry I'm late. Stuff happened, ugh. Jake, I need a few minutes with my boyfriend." Jake stared at the menu while Cecil attached himself to Carlos, murmuring _love you, ugh what a day, they're getting worse_. Carlos wrapped solid arms around Cecil, returning kisses and endearments with _Hey honey, take you home soon and do some... science? Yeah? You wanna get into science later?_ Jake wondered if Cecil had ever kissed Earl like that. The thought of Cecil passionately kissing Earl made him warm and quickly study the stains on the carpet tiles. Eventually Cecil cleared his throat and grinned at Jake. "Let's eat and talk." Cecil looked at Carlos again. "I'm _ravenous."_ His disconcerting gaze settled back on Jake. "What's so urgent?"  
Jake leaned forward. "We need a huge distraction as soon as possible or Vansten Industries will fail because I can't hold them off for long without Marcus. We will all end up owned by StrexCorp."  
Cecil sat back, frowning. "Hmm. We are not ready for anything big enough yet unless there is more support from citizens who still believe that somehow everything will be okay." 

Big Rico himself arrived with their order of toppings. He slid into the booth beside Jake and nodded hello.  
"Hey, hate to disappoint such a regular customer, Carlos, your scientists gave me the biggest boost in profits I ever seen when you moved in coupla years ago. You lot sure gonna miss this place." Rico shook his head.  
Cecil frowned. "What do you mean, Rico?"  
"We have enough real cash and supplies left for a week maybe, ten days if we restrict order sizes again and used canned goods, but most customers only have Scrip to pay for their food and that means we have to get supplies from StrexCorp. They won't sell to us in any currency." Rico shrugged. "No suppliers, no food, no restaurant, we close."  
Jake almost choked on his mozzarella sticks. "Is that even legal?"  
"Who cares. We can't pay a lawyer and by the time our case gets heard we'd be out of business anyway. Easier just to quit while we still have homes. Cecil, Carlos, I'm sorry but you're going to have to find somewhere else to meet your friends."  
Rico patted Jake's arm, shook hands with Carlos and with Cecil and left them in stunned silence. Cecil shook his head. "No. This is too much. White Sands then Rico's! What's next? The Moonlite?"  
Jake watched Cecil as he ate, saw him make his mind up without saying another word. 

Cecil leaned over his coffee and pulled Carlos into the quiet conversation.  
"Okay, we will speed things up. I will contact... someone in the desert and bring our plans forward. Carlos, you know your role?"  
The scientist nodded. "Hmm, check out the house that does not exist and the unusual doors that have been popping up here and there. Find out where the house really _does_ exist. Find a way to use its extra dimensions to help, maybe as a way of travelling from door to door. Find a way of controlling the doors."  
Cecil kissed Carlos on the cheek. "Mmm you got it. But stay safe!"  
Carlos laughed and hugged Cecil. "I am a scientist, Ceec! I will be fine. The team knows what to do."  
Cecil nodded to Jake as Jake paid cash for their meals. Just after Jake left the restaurant, his phone buzzed. It was a text from Cecil.  
_Be prepared!_

Jake went home to an empty house. He stopped at Vansten Mansion on his way home but it felt strange, once familiar spaces, shared space, now empty. He sat first in his old apartment, stripped of his belongings, smelling of paint and ready for its planned new use as a private meetings venue with a conference room, a reception room and catering facility.  
He went up to Marcus's rooms. Marcus's suite had been purged of everything Marcus chose and returned to plain neutrals. No more reds and purples and golds, Marcus's gaudy opulence washed out with inoffensive tones for guests.  
Jake hated it.  
The Furnace Room was locked. Jake stood with his hand on the door handle and his forehead against the cool polished wood of the oversized door. He closed his eyes, just for a moment.  
"Sir? Uh, sir?" Jake kept his head on the door but rotated enough to see the owner of the quiet voice that interrupted his thoughts. "I have a key if you want to go in, but it's storage space now. There is some furniture and stuff, but nothing personal."  
Jake stood up. He smiled and shook his head. "No, thank you. I was looking for something but it's not here. Really I just came to say goodbye."  
The figure in the shirt with _Vansten Manor Staff_ embroidered in gold sighed. "We're all sorry he's gone. If you need anything..." A shrug.  
"Thanks. I'll go now." Jake walked back along the corridor and out of the building that was no longer home. 

Jake woke up alone, unable to remember going to bed. He checked the time on his phone. It was early. He got up and went downstairs to the kitchen.  
"Mhairi! I didn't know you were here."  
"Yeah. Turns out I don't want to be on my own right now. I still have a key, you can have it back if I'm intruding." Jake put an arm around Mhairi's shoulder. She leaned her head against him and closed her eyes. "It'll hit me, Jake, that he's moved on from us. When I have the time, it will hit me hard." Jake rubbed Mhairi's shoulder.  
"I think I know what you mean." Jake topped up the reservoir on the coffee machine, pressed buttons, waited for the hiss to stop and sat down again. "There's no time to process what happened. We go to work, we fight them off and we sleep if we can."  
"Yeah." Mhairi yawned and rubbed her face. Jake sighed.  
"You can stay. This place was designed for three and I'd like not to be on my own much either. How's Bubo?"  
"See for yourself." Mhairi waved a hand towards the door. Bubo walked silently to the coffee machine, eyes barely open, collected a double espresso and left the room, pausing to touch Mhairi on the cheek on the way out. Mhairi leaned in to the light brush against her skin. Jake stared, Mhairi shrugged and smiled. 

The next few days followed the same frantic pattern, filled with fending off increasingly ludicrous attacks on Vansten Industries. At close of business each evening, Jake sat with the core executive team, slumped in his seat at the far end of the table, barely awake. Mhairi and Bubo took him home, watched him eat, made him go to bed and retreated.  
Jake lay in bed, exhausted mind racing. Their great plan, their last hope, was gone. Cecil made arrangements, broadcast his show, appealed openly for support but it was not enough. They had listened, all of them that afternoon, counterattack ready to go as soon as StrexCorp's executive committee was too busy to realise they were being bought.  
That opportunity had not come. StrexCorp was stronger than they anticipated and Night Vale weaker. The core team at Vansten Industries would go down fighting in their own way, but they knew they would go down eventually. 

Jake lay awake on top of his bed and counted the casualties in his life. Earl, taken by lost scouts during a sabotaged ceremony. Marcus, taken right in front of him for a purpose he did not understand. Cecil, violently taken during his show. He curled up on his side, knees to forehead, arms circling his legs, closed his eyes and sobbed.  
He felt a stillness after his tears, a void around him. Jake breathed slow and deep, unaware of the shimmer in the air enveloping him.  
Jake woke seven hours later, tired but calm. He stretched out under the blanket and turned.  
There was a single, soft-curled golden feather on the pillow by his head. Jake picked it up and would not put it down again. 

Bubo sat on a kitchen chair, stared at the bottom of their coffee cup and nodded. "I agree with you, but he is afraid. Erika is afraid."  
Mhairi plucked Bubo's cup from their hand and refilled it. "What of? What can an angel possibly fear?"  
"The same as you and I, and Jake. Losing. Being alone, separated. Death. We... Erika is immortal but individual angels are not." Bubo stared into the espresso then gulped it down.  
"What did you and Marcus talk about?"  
"He knows what's happening at work. We are to keep resisting StrexCorp."  
"That all?"  
"No, I told him to go talk with you and with Jake, that Jake won't care that he's now eight feet tall with six arms and gold wings and a mind that can tune in to Erika. But he's afraid."  
"Of Jake? Of me?"  
Bubo shrugged. "Of rejection." 

Jake walked over to the coffee machine. Mhairi and Bubo followed him with their eyes, watched his progress as he operated it one-handed. Jake's right fist was clenched. He sat.  
"Hey Jake. Sleep?"  
"Mmm. Yeah. Umm." Jake opened his right hand, held the golden feather between left thumb and forefinger, stroked it with his right, smoothed it back into shape. "Found this. On my pillow." He looked from Mhairi to Bubo. "Was he here?" Mhairi shrugged, Bubo nodded.  
"He's afraid to show himself properly to you and to Mhairi. He's different. Physically and up here." Bubo pointed to their temple.  
Jake spoke to the feather in his hand, twirling it this way and that. "But he's still Marcus. I felt it, I was awake and I felt him in the room with me. Like I used to know, if I came home and Marcus was there already. I'd know. I was scared to open my eyes in case it wasn't real."  
Bubo smiled. "He's still Marcus, also something more. Give him... them time to get used to it. Marcus is afraid you might fear their new form." Bubo got up to visit the coffee machine again. "It happens."  
"Huh. No change in personality then, Marcus is still an ass. Mhairi, take me to work, give me a new pen and show me where to sign." 


	19. Battles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time, Erika creates a diversion.  
> Bubo has a decision to make and Marcus shows Jake his new form. Most of it.

Bubo spoke without making a sound. Eyes closed, concentrating, lying supine and relaxed beside the sleeping co-worker and friend who had never asked the questions Bubo hated to evade.  
_"I know you're here. What do you want from me?"_  
_Heh, shoulda known I can't hide from you. Keep going, keep fighting. Stay in contact. Wait for Erika."_  
_"I can't stay connected. You know that, Erika! It hurts when you... when I have to leave."_  
_Bubo, stay with me, with Erika._  
Bubo felt the familiar warmth they missed so much begin to creep into every interstice. Eyes snapped open, frowning. _"No! No, Marcus, don't. Don't remind me of what could have been. Go be with Jake."_ Bubo felt Marcus retreat with a soft apology. Beside Bubo, Mhairi snorted awake.  
"Mmm, Marcus again?"  
"Yes."  
"Y'okay?"  
"No."  
Mhairi turned toward Bubo and held an arm out. Bubo closed their eyes, shuffled into Mhairi's embrace and frowned a little less. It was a fleeting shadow compared to being with Erika, but Mhairi's affection came with fewer riders and subclauses.

Jake lay awake. He smiled and addressed the space in the room.  
"Marcus, I can _feel_ you. Don't hide from me."  
A voice sidestepped Jake's ears and entered his head directly.  
_Heh! Bubo teach you to do that? I'm not ready for you to see me yet. May I?_  
"Not Bubo, I just know when you're near. Yes. I miss you."  
Jake felt warmth seep into his cells. He relaxed and allowed Marcus's thoughts to wash into him. "Mmm. You have a plan."  
_Heh. Erika is only after my money. That was the missing piece. The Hierarchy of Angels doesn't understand cashflow._  
"You don't regret what happened, do you?" Jake felt the faintest stab of Marcus's remorse, quickly stifled. "At the debate? It's okay, Marcus, I thought... I thought you abandoned me. Left me alone and moved on. But--"  
_No, I'm with you, Jake, unless you tell me... Until you... whatever. When this is all over we can talk, y'know, man to... uh... face to face. Sleep, love, you're wrecked._  
Marcus hovered until he sensed Jake's pulse and breathing rate become slow and steady.

Jake gave subvocal thanks that _Vansten Industries_ employed _McDaniels Security_ staff. The heavily armed escort arrived on time to drive Bubo, Mhairi and Jake to the main office block in town while one of three identical decoy armoured personnel transporters suffered ambush on an alternative route through town. Bubo stared out of a thick, darkened porthole as they passed the humming fence around Grove Park Factory Camp.  
Mhairi did not look. "I hear they rounded up the scientists, all but one. They couldn't find Carlos."  
Jake glanced up at Mhairi. "He's clever. I wonder if he knows about Cecil?"  
Mhairi sighed. "I hope not. To know and be helpless..." She squeezed Jake's forearm and looked away. "Sorry. Guess you know that feeling."  
Jake smiled. "I have not given up on Earl." He sighed. "Although some days I wish I knew one way or the other. Knowing the worst might be easier than knowing nothing. Then I feel guilty as if I had just wished him--"  
One of the security guards shouted at them to run through the basement garage from the vehicle to the relative safety of Marcus's private elevator.

Up in the executive office, safely away from the windows and the vigilance of the remaining yellow helicopters, Jake signed the latest batch of refusals and Mhairi passed them to the armed couriers to return under escort to what the all called "the enemy base," their corporate headquarters out at Radon Canyon.  
Early afternoon, as usual, someone turned on the radio. Mhairi tutted and scowled through most of the broadcast, muttering about _godsdamn propaganda_ and _does anyone believe this shit?_ until the last few minutes. The remaining executive team of Vansten Industries stared at each other.  
Bubo grabbed Mhairi's arm and yelled, "NOW! IT'S NOW!"  
Jake and Mhairi ran for Marcus's old corner office. Down below, they watched the battle begin as winged figures swooped down into the streets and masked giants held StrexCorp's guards to account with weapons that were efficient despite their lack of technological refinement. Bubo appeared minutes later holding a sheaf of paper and a pen which they thrust towards Jake.  
"Jake, now. Your best handwriting, please."  
Jake grinned, signed carefully wherever Bubo pointed, then laughed and hugged them. Bubo pushed away and ran from the room. Mhairi followed, pulling Jake by the arm.  
"I'm not missing this. Jake, we gotta be a part of this."

The battle was long, drawn out by Erika who listened for Bubo's progress and kept a safe route open for their journey to StrexCorp Headquarters. It had to last, Bubo knew, twenty four hours from the time the documents were received, signed for by someone who looked like a scared intern on the desk. Erika coordinated effectively. _Push, retreat, push, don't win too quickly but never let it look quite like I am losing. Keep them busy. Keep them all out of office._  
Bubo stayed at the Radon Canyon offices, just outside their main entrance with a couple of armed _McDaniels Security_ guards in case any executives thought to pop back to the office and check their mail.  
Jake found himself surrounded by teenagers hurling the heaviest books he had ever seen. One nudged him, picked up a discarded copy of _Milton: Unabridged_ and handed it to him. He threw with power, accuracy and joy.  
Mhairi ran at a group of StrexCorp employees, armed with fists, but was held back. She turned to see two giant, masked figures. One of them picked her up, carried her and set her down safely back outside the offices of Vansten Industries. The figure crouched to be at head height with Mhairi. "Doug says that Dana says that Erika wants that you be safe here."

Mhairi thanked the figure as it sped off in the direction of Radon Canyon. She returned to Marcus's office to watch from the floor-to-ceiling windows. She saw Jake, hurling hardbacks with deadly precision while two teenagers kept him supplied with literature. She saw an occasional flash of golden feathers, _there_ and gone again then _there!_ She talked to herself, to the room, a running commentary. _Jeez, Marcus can move fast. Oh! Jake! Look out! Hah, you got it! Good throw, man!_  
She watched as the ranks of masked warriors and angels pushed forward and retreated tactically, as the gang of teenage readers attacked in small groups, one party swiping at the enemy while the next readied to take over and others rested, restocked. Night fell and fires started, deliberately and accidentally. The Scouts' deliberate fires cut off the StrexCorp retreat. The accidental ones were hurriedly doused, or, in the case of particularly ugly buildings, evacuated and abandoned in the name of urban development.

Mhairi brought Marcus's chair over and curled up by the windows until sunrise. It was almost over. Citizens freed from Grove Park took revenge where they could then went home. Groups of defeated StrexCorp employees huddled, guarded by whoever had enough compassion and energy left to watch over them. In the square below, Mhairi watched and laughed as Jake guarded the front doors of Vansten Industries, holding off a few exhausted StrexCorp executives with fluttering, dog-eared paperbacks.

The morning witnessed many skirmishes but few real battles. By the time Marcus's radio crackled back to life just after noon, Mhairi knew from Jake that the StrexCorp executive team was held captive, Grove Park Camp was being dismantled by the Scouts and in an hour or so there would be winners and losers. Jake lay on Marcus's sofa and listened.  
StrexCorp had a new owner.  
Marcus, or Erika, had won.  
Jake and Mhairi were too tired to cheer. Mhairi pushed Jake until he moved enough for her to sit. They hugged and wept until both fell asleep.

Marcus stood in the main entrance of StrexCorp's Radon Canyon headquarters. Bubo lay by his feet, not moving, face twisted in pain. He sat, cradled Bubo's head in his preferred arms and touched the wound in Bubo's stomach. He wrapped golden wings around them both and concentrated on one thing only.  
_ERIKA!_  
Erika heard. When Marcus opened his eyes, all of them, he was in his office. Bubo lay in his lap but no longer in pain.

Mhairi startled awake, Jake slept like the dead. She slid out from under Jake's head, carefully pushing a cushion under him. Jake grumbled but did not open his eyes. Mhairi watched as the glow in the centre of the room paled and revealed Marcus, sitting with wings extended and head bowed, another figure lying with its head in Marcus's lap.  
"Bubo! Oh no, not Bubo! Marcus, are they--" Mhairi ran over to the figure on the floor.  
Marcus smiled. Bubo sat up, clutching their stomach and shaking their head. Marcus stood and stepped back before he spoke. "Heh. Damn near it." Marcus looked at Mhairi, holding on to Bubo and babbling. "Mhairi, focus, Bubo had a difficult decision. Look at them, really look and tell them what you see."  
Mhairi gazed into Bubo's eyes, took in the amber speckles in the deep brown irises, the black depths of the pupils and the sparkling void within.  
"I see who I love."  
Marcus laughed. "Heh! That's, y'know, a relief. Didn't want the fallout from that potential break up. Gotta go. New investment, or whatever."  
Marcus glowed for a second just because he could, then faded. Bubo smiled. "You mean that. I can tell when people are telling lies."  
Mhairi laughed and hugged Bubo close. "That explains why you are such a good lawyer."  
Bubo reached arms around Mhairi. "I chose you over Erika."

Two days later, Jake woke early to find a familiar presence hovering around his consciousness. He smiled and stretched out.  
"Mmm. I know you're here."  
_Heh! Can't sneak up on you!_  
Jake laughed. "Come on, I've been warned. Bubo told Mhairi then Mhairi told me. Eight feet tall, six arms, kickass wings. Sounds awesome. I want to see you!"  
_What if you, y'know, freak out at me?_  
"I might, but I promise I will get over it. Marcus, I love you and I am not afraid of you. Come on! I wanna see!"  
The shimmering in the air at the opposite side of Jake's bedroom thickened and changed colour, golden translucence like honey. Jake watched as Marcus materialised slowly, body obscured by the wings wrapped around his form.  
"Marcus! Show me!"  
"Heh, this isn't, y'know, easy. I'm kinda nervous."  
Jake rolled his eyes. "You're a fucking angel. I want to see you. I want to touch you. Hold you properly, not that weird but nice thing you do when I'm tired and can't sleep."  
Marcus slowly unwrapped his wings and folded them back. Jake stared, mouth dropping open.  
"Uh... okay..."  
Marcus's wings shrouded him again. "Ugh, too much too soon? Am I real ugly?"  
Jake swallowed and shook his head. "No! No, Marcus." He got up and walked over to the eight foot tall angel whose head brushed the ceiling. Jake reached up a hand and smoothed the ruffled feathers along the edge of one wing. Marcus shivered.  
"Heh. I like that." Marcus allowed Jake to unfold one wing then the other, investigating how they tucked back behind him, giggling a little as Jake found sensitive areas at his new joints. "Mmm. That feels like an elbow. If you smooth out those feathers there," he pointed with all three right hands. "it feels like you're massaging my wrist."  
Jake smiled at Marcus. He stepped back. "Can I touch?"  
"Mmm yep. If I start to glow, hands off. I've not quite, y'know, got the hang of this yet. Don't wanna be broadcasting my thoughts or _whatever_ to Erika all the time. Y'know, privacy's a thing."  
Jake put both hands on Marcus's abdomen. He slid his hands down to Marcus's lowest set of arms, stood close and guided arms around his waist. Marcus sank to his knees and wrapped all six arms around Jake. Jake laughed. "This is _nice_. I love your wings. The extra arms are great. Honestly, your new eyes do freak me out a little but I'll get used to it. Maybe if you just used two at a time for now?"  
Marcus grinned and closed all but two of his eyes. "Like this? Heh!"  
Jake laughed. "Very funny, Marcus. Sweetie, maybe use the two in the front of your face for now... Oh, what the Hell. That was real cute. C'mere. Hah! Is, y'know, _everything_ larger than life?"  
Jake stroked Marcus's face and pulled him into a kiss. Marcus glowed slightly. Neither of them noticed it.  
In the room down the hall Bubo smiled in their sleep.


	20. Home.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marcus has a choice - family or work.  
> Jake makes a discovery that bothers him a whole lot less than Marcus thinks it will.  
> And Marcus has news so big he can't bring himself to talk about it.

Marcus frowned. "Bubo, this is a mess. I can't be responsible for _all_ of those weird investments, can I?"  
Bubo nodded. "You can and you are. You have gone from being Marcus Vansten, billionaire with a large company to Erika, multi-millionaire with an enormous company that is going to suck every cent if you don't rationalise. Legally, Erika does not exist and individuals can be held accountable. Unless you declare yourself legally dead in which case, according to your will, Jake and Mhairi inherit your problems."  
"Ugh. No, that won't do at all. I need to make cuts. I hate making cuts. Means sacking people."  
Bubo shrugged. "Yes, on paper, no in reality. You will find that many of the most highly promoted employees have already left StrexCorp. One way or another."  
"Heh. Ugh."  
Bubo sighed. "I didn't come to you with a problem that can't be solved."  
"O-o-oh? I'm all ears. Bubo, my team is swamped. StrexCorp's finances are so obscure I have no time for anything else right now. I haven't seen Jake for days, he's cooped up in the accountancy cube-farm in Night Vale trying to untangle their accounts and trace where StrexCorp's finances originated."  
Bubo smiled. "It has been over a week, Marcus. Make a significant cash gift to Jake and to Mhairi now. Change your will, leave everything to Josie. That way Erika will be in control of StrexCorp's problems. Think of it as early retirement. Go home."  
"It's a bit, y'know, drastic, Bubo. I liked being Marcus Vansten, billionaire businessman."  
Bubo sighed and shrugged. "Up to you, Marcus. Decide what you want from eternity. Don't you have some other project you wanted to work on?"  
Marcus frowned. "How the fuck did you know... okay, Don't tell Erika in case they stop me. Or Jake, in case it fails."  
"Erika knows everything you know and more. Either they don't mind or they don't care. Call me if you need legal advice."  


Marcus took ten minutes to make up his mind. Bubo sat in Marcus's office in Desert Bluffs with a set of documents prepared days earlier. Marcus laughed.  
"Am I that, y'know, predictable?"  
"I prepared documents for several different outcomes."  
"Heh. What's first?"  
Bubo showed Marcus where to fill in the figures to transfer to Jake and Mhairi's personal accounts, where to sign his updated will and what forms to fill in to be declared legally no longer in existence due to unexpected ascension to the rank of Angel. Afterwards, Marcus closed his eyes and sat back and listened to Bubo file the documents into a document case.  
"Now what?"  
"I take these to the new City Council. You can do whatever you want to do, Marcus. I expect Erika will want you to remain as adviser but you are not legally responsible any more."  
"Heh! Feels weird. Wait before you file all that. I got one more thing I need to do. I gotta go fire Jake before he gets wind of this." Marcus extended a wing. "Want a ride home? I'm learning how to, y'know, get around." 

Jake stared at Marcus. "What, again? You're firing me _again?_ No you fucking don't! I quit."  
Marcus sat with his head a little above Jake's eye level. Jake rubbed the back of his neck.  
"I don't get it, Jake, I thought you would want--"  
Jake held his hand up, palm towards Marcus. "Stop, stop there. Stop second guessing what I want. Okay so I have money now. Great. I want to buy part of what used to be Vansten Industries. Mhairi is on board with this, fifty-fifty."  
Marcus listened as Jake outlined his plan to build up Marcus's hotel and restaurant industry again.  
"Don't tell me, Bubo has the documents ready? You three set me up? I'll be the fucking laughing stock of the Hierarchy!"  
"Y'know what, Marcus? I'm gonna need an assistant. You need a new job? I can provide accommodation but the pay will be shit."  
"Heh. Take me on as executive adviser. Do I have to sleep with the managing director? Please say yes."  
"Only one of them. You can pick which."  
Marcus laughed until he shook and glowed. 

Two evenings later, Jake and Mhairi celebrated in their new restaurant. Bubo joined them after dinner and took Mhairi away. Jake went home to find Marcus waiting for him, prowling the living room with his head at an odd angle to avoid hitting the light fittings.  
"Hey! Thought you might come out for dinner with us. Guess you were busy. Oh, I'll get ceiling lights fitted so you can stand upright. Kitchen is better, want to go through there to pace the floor?"  
"Mmm yep, kinda busy. What?" Marcus stooped and paced for a few more seconds, eventually stopping in front of Jake. He knelt down to meet Jake's eye level. "Jake I got some real big news but I can't talk about it yet until I'm sure. I can't connect with Erika about it either. But I think... I think I need you to help calm me down."  
"Marcus, you can tell me anything." Jake reached out to stroke across the ridge of Marcus's wings. Marcus smiled and sagged his head.  
"Not this, Jake, not yet. It's too big. Soon, I promise. Mmm that's, y'know, helping."  
"Come upstairs with me? Our room?"  
Marcus smiled. "Heh. You moved into the top bedroom! Mmm." Jake frowned.  
"Come up, if you want, Marcus. You don't have to. There's plenty of space here." 

Marcus hugged Jake. "I want to. I've been distracted, y'know, all this stuff that's happened, have I neglected you? Ugh, I have."  
Jake laughed. "Marcus, that's not what I meant. We've all had a lot going on, I love that you find time to come see me but I know you have other priorities. Part of something bigger."  
"Heh. Bubo told you that, right? Ignore that. Being Erika is kinda great, but so is being with you. I don't... I got... I, umm, negotiated. At the debate. I agreed to make my wealth available on condition I got to keep some kind of, y'know, independence."  
"You don't have to do what you're told, in other words?"  
"Heh. Mmm nope. Unless I'm needed, y'know, specifically, I can stay Marcus. Marcus-ish."  
"Eight feet tall Marcus with six arms, big golden wings and more beautiful eyes than strictly necessary?"  
"Heh! Mmm yep."  
"So you gonna come upstairs and show me why the most beautiful angel in town wears shorts?" 

Marcus stalled. "Heh. Ceiling's higher up here, in the middle at least."  
Jake smiled. "That's why I moved up here. Can you stay over?"  
"You don't mind that legally speaking I have nothing? I'm poor?" Marcus frowned.  
Jake laughed. "Marcus, if you think your billions made a difference, you're right, they did. Once. Sure I'm shallow, but I wanted to earn enough to take time off and travel. Not now. Honestly, not after the first couple of weeks with you. Anyway, what do you need money for?"  
Marcus grinned. "It's a game. Start with some money, find a way of making more money. It stops meaning anything after a while. The more you have, the easier it gets to acquire more. When I had nothing, Josie listened to me and gave me what she had. I guess I just gave it back with interest."  
"Huh. You really retired?"  
"Hell no! You think I'm going to keep my nose out of your business? You are, like, keeping my name, right?"  
"Mmm. Yeah, it makes sense to use your name. And your knowledge. Shame we can't use Hiram's services since he's still sulking about the election, but his old security guards are good front-of-house staff and a group of them do a fantastic burlesque act in the new club. I think you'd like it. Opens in a couple weeks but needs a name."  
Marcus snorted. "I have to see that. You can use _Dragonflies_ if you want, I'm so over what happened."  
Jake took one of Marcus's hands and pulled him down to sit on the bed. "You're pacing again. Want me to massage your wings for a while?"  
"Mmm yep, especially where they start on my back. Six arms and there's still a spot I can't reach."  
Jake laughed, moved to let Marcus lie prone and used gentle fingers to probe Marcus's new skeletal and muscle structure. Marcus groaned in pleasure. 

"Marcus?"  
"Mmm?"  
"Seriously, what's with the shorts?"  
"Ugh. You really need to know?"  
"No, but I'm curious. Are you concerned that I might be unable to restrain myself from leaping on your upscaled genitals?"  
"No, uh, not exactly. Umm, Jake, when I changed not everything... umm... changed in the same way."  
"It's okay, Marcus, I won't touch anything in your exclusion zone. I promise, whatever you're hiding, I can resist. And if you're not ready to show me you don't have to."  
Marcus sighed and rolled onto his back. "Ugh. Shit. Might as well get this over now. Jake, I no longer have an exclusion zone." Marcus hooked a thumb in the waistband of his shorts, took Jake's hand and guided it beneath the fabric. Jake's eyebrows shot up.  
"Oh. That's... unexpected." Jake stroked his hand over Marcus's smooth skin. "Umm, how do you pee?" 

Marcus trembled as Jake explored with one hand then helped him out of the flimsy garment.  
"You don't think it's too weird?"  
"Mmm. A bit maybe but it's fine. Easier, probably. I mean, I'm not going to worry about accidentally making you freak out by touching your penis." Jake frowned. "Seriously, though, how do you pee?"  
"Heh! C'mere you. I show up embarrassed about having no genitals and all you want to know is how I urinate?" Marcus hugged Jake and kissed him. "Should've known you'd be fine about it. I don't. I don't eat or drink much either but I need to have salt and water most days because I can still sweat. Don't ask me how that all works. I don't know yet. I have to, y'know, _recharge_ with Erika sometimes. I guess you could call it sleeping."  
Jake smiled. "If you're okay with it then it's fine. There's salt in the kitchen if you need it."  
"Heh. Not any more."  
Jake lay cradled in Marcus's arms, cocooned in soft feathers, stroking him. "Umm, Marcus? Is Bubo--"  
"Heh. You lying here with me, hands on my ass, thinking about your lawyer?" 

When Jake's alarm woke him he was alone, tucked into bed. He got up, grabbed a robe and padded downstairs. He heard voices and smiled. Marcus was speaking. A second voice replied and Jake thumped down the remaining stairs. He burst into the kitchen.  
Marcus caught him. "Heh! Careful. Said I had big news, or whatever!"  
The other man looked at Jake and smiled. "Hope it's okay that we're here. Erika told me we'd be welcome. I feel like I know you but I'm not sure who you are yet. I guess it will come back." He stuck out a hand. Jake stared.  
"You're..."  
"The boy's playing in your yard. Hope that's okay. Looks like he might start a campfire, he's gonna be a real good scout."  
"You... you're..."  
"I'm Earl."  
"You're BACK!" 

Jake ignored the offered handshake and hugged Earl tight, kissed his cheek and stroked his hair.  
"You're back. You're really here."  
Earl froze. "Uh, I should know you but..."  
Jake stepped back. Marcus took his hand. "Honey, Earl's been lost a while. Things fade. Give him time."  
Jake nodded. He sat heavily on a chair and Marcus brought coffee. Earl watched out of the window and waved. Jake got up to stand beside him. "Who, umm, who is the kid?"  
"He's mine somehow." Earl shrugged then turned to look at Jake. "Jake... Jake!" Earl sighed and smiled. "You're called Jake."  
Jake nodded. Earl held his gaze for a few seconds then looked at the boy out of the window. Marcus watched as Earl's hand found Jake's and Jake rested his head on Earl's shoulder. He stood behind them, wrapped arms and wings around them both and glowed softly. Out in the yard, the boy put the finishing touches to his pyramid of dry leaves and twigs, held up a piece of curved glass he had found earlier, laughed in delight as tinder smouldered and small flames blossomed. 


End file.
